Free running, an acrobatic form of maneuvering objects typically in a city or rural setting, is a physically demanding activity. Maneuvers in free running include twists, flips and jumps that aim to impress onlookers. Many of these movements place a lot of stress on joints, especially the knees. Free running should not be confused with parkour, which focuses on efficiently maneuvering objects without flair.
Risks
Free running consists of a variety of challenging maneuvers that can result in serious injuries if not performed correctly. Many of the maneuvers include jumping and twisting, which directly affect your knees. Often, jumps are performed from considerable heights onto concrete surfaces that provide no shock absorption. Free running is not a timed activity and can last for several minutes or until the free runner needs rest. Performing free-running jumps consistently during such a strenuous routine can have a profound impact on the knees, as well as the rest of the body.
Jumpers Knee
Many free runners who develop knee pain from their routines refer to this as jumpers knee. Jumpers knee is better known in the medical community as patellar tendinitis. This injury affects the tendon that connects the kneecap to the shinbone. The tendon is vital to many leg functions. Most notably, it enables you to extend your lower leg. Besides free runners, patellar tendinitis is a common injury among athletes in sports such as basketball and volleyball where frequent jumping is commonplace.
Common Pitfalls
Free runners, as well as other athletes, sometimes ignore their bodies' plea for rest. The lure of competition, adrenaline rush and thrill of performing their sport unwittingly take precedent over health and fitness. If you feel any kind of discomfort in your knees after performing free-running maneuvers, listen to your body and give it the rest it needs. The inflammation that develops around the tendon needs time to subside before stress can once again be placed on the knee and tendon.
Treatments and Recovery
The severity of a patellar tendinitis injury determines the type of treatment and recovery time you'll need. Less severe cases can take between a few weeks and several months before the tendon and knee are completely healed. In severe injury cases, surgery may be required, which can come with a healing time of more than a year. More conservative treatments for patellar tendinitis include simple rest, stretching, topical medication and physical therapy exercises for rehabilitation. You can also wear a patellar tendon strap to help relieve pain. The strap helps distribute stress away from the tendon by absorbing the shock from walking, running or jumping.
