The repeated stress that you place on your knee as you jog can lead to a wide variety of knee injuries. Anterior knee pain, which originates from the front of the knee, is often characterized as patellafemoral pain and can include conditions such as patellar tendinitis and chondromalacia of the patella.
Anatomy
The knee joint is the largest and most complex joint in the human body. It's made up of four bones -- the kneecap, also known as the patella; femur or thigh bone; and the inner and outer shin bones, the tibia and fibula. The patella is held in place along the top of the bone by the quadriceps tendon and at the bottom with the patellar tendon. The medial and lateral collateral ligaments are located on the sides of the knee joint and control side-to-side movement with the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments controlling the front-to-back movement of the joint, MedlinePlus says.
Causes
Runner's knee is the most common cause of anterior knee pain in people who jog frequently. In cases of runner's knee, the patellar tendon or tendon that attaches the lower part of the kneecap to the tibia becomes weakened or irritated due to overuse as you jog. Muscular imbalances between the quadriceps and hamstring muscles can lead to an uneven tracking of the kneecap along the groove in the femur. This results in a softening of the cartilage that lines the underside of the knee, referred to as chondromalacia patellae, MedlinePlus says.
Treatment
After a first-time knee injury due to jogging, rest the knee from jogging or any activity that aggravates the injury until the pain or irritation substantially decreases. Adhere to an icing schedule of 20 minutes with ice on the knee followed by 20 minutes without ice for the first 48 hours. You may also find that use of NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs help combat swelling to the knee joint, MedlinePlus says.
Prevention
To prevent any future occurrence of knee injury as a result of jogging, stretch before and after jogging. Concentrate on the hamstrings and quadriceps muscles in addition to the illiotibial band, the tendon that runs along the outside of your thigh. Sufferers of knee injuries due to jogging are often advised to use knee braces to stabilize the patella during periods of intensive exercise, says Physioadvisor.com.
