7 Most Common Causes of Runner’s Knee (And How to Deal With It)

Runner’s Knee is a general term – it refers to any kind of stress-related injury that causes knee pain. This pain can be caused by a wide variety of activities, some of which may seem like unlikely culprits. Almost everyone is vulnerable to runner’s knee, and they may not even realise they’re doing anything that could cause such an injury.

1. Running or Walking

Running, jogging and walking are the most common causes of runner’s knee. The repetitive motion of the knees and the impact sent through the joints when your feet hit the ground can be damaging to the knee cap, causing pain and swelling. Most oftentimes, improper shoes, bad form, or failing to give yourself enough recovery time between runs can expedite an injury.

2. Biking

Biking might seem like one of the least rigorous ways to burn a few calories, but even bicyclists are susceptible to runner’s knee. A bicycle is operated by bending and stretching the knee, over and over again. Little bumps on the ground, as well as shifting terrain, can still impact the knee joints. The same goes for maintaining a high speed for long stretches of time.

3. Hiking

Hiking is very intense. While most hikers pace themselves, going slow and steady, the motions themselves are difficult to execute. Climbing uphill burns a lot of calories, and it does so because of the amount of stress it places on the body. Overextension of the knees coupled with the difficulty of scaling steep inclines can weaken or damage the joints.

4. High Impact Workouts

Workouts that involve frequent jumping or box climbing, such as most popular CrossFit workouts, are just as likely to cause runner’s knee as actual running. In terms of the after-effects, jumping is essentially a more extreme version of running. High impact running or jumping without proper warmups and adequate recovery time may actually lead to runner’s knee faster than traditional running.

5. Manual Labour

Landscaping and construction professionals often experience runner’s knee. This is because the job involves kneeling and standing back up again on a frequent basis. These sharp bends on a tired body after a hard day’s work are a little too taxing, and your joints may pay the price for them.

6. Weightlifting

If you’re lifting weights properly, you’re lifting with your knees instead of your back. This is especially true with squat lifting. While lifting with your back can be dangerous, because the spine is not meant to bear the brunt of weight, lifting with your knees can often be damaging to your body over time. This is why many bodybuilders take a few days to recover from a heavy lifting session. Without an adequate recovery period, the knees become damaged rather than strengthened.

7. Back of House Work

Working on a sales floor or in a restaurant environment is never easy work, but neither is doing things behind the scenes. Lifting heavy boxes and stocking high shelves involves a lot of repetitive motions. Crouching to work low and stretching to work high over and over again can take a significant toll on the knees.
What To Do About It
Severe cases of runner’s knee may require surgery. If you identify the problem early enough, it’s possible to intervene. While things like pain medications make it easier to cope with how uncomfortable runner’s knee feels, these medications don’t actually treat the problem. They only mask the symptoms.
Most people will find that physiotherapy is the only course of action that delivers real results. A professional can work with an individual who has been affected by runner’s knee to strengthen and rebuild all of the tissues associated with the pain, helping the knee function the way it should and removing the cause of pain, but also reducing the potential for future instances of runner’s knee.