Don't let runner's knee keep you from running!

Characterized by pain around or behind the kneecap, this condition can hinder performance and sideline even the most dedicated runners. While conventional treatments like rest, ice, and physical therapy are often recommended, is it truly the best course of action?

Before delving into chiropractic care, it's essential to understand the nature of runner's knee. It is often caused by repetitive stress on the knee joint, leading to irritation of the cartilage under the kneecap. Situations such as inadequate footwear, previous injuries, and mobility issues within the ankle, knee, hips and back can all lead to the development of runner's knee.

In my office, runner's knee is addressed across several facets including both the muscles, tendons, joints and ligaments.

1. Spinal Adjustments: Ensuring your spine is moving properly is at the forefront in preventing runner's knee. If the spine is not moving properly, the hips cannot move properly translating into too much stress being placed upon the knee and voila, runner's knee.

2. Extremity Adjustments: Outside of the spine, the hips, knees and ankles can and will likely all be adjusted to aid in the treatment of and prevention of runner's knee.

3. Soft Tissue Manipulation: By relaxing the soft tissue and muscles of the lower extremity, we can ensure muscles do not become spastic. To address the tendons, small hand-held tools are utilized to help breakup these adhesions which have likely developed within the tendon and muscles.

4. Rehabilitative Exercises: More importantly than performing exercises is performing the appropriate exercises. Strengthening areas of dysfunction only further strengthens the dysfunction, prolonging and deepening the problem.

Runner's knee is one of those problems which may stem from issues in the ankle, the knee itself, the foot, hip or back. Until the root of the problem is addressed, it may periodically feel better but it will continue to nag you as opposed to it being eliminated entirely. If you want to get back to running, please give the office a call!