If you have pain in your knee that gets worse as you run downhill, you have a classic symptom of "runner's knee." The origin of your pain helps pinpoint this condition. However, the symptoms go beyond downhill aches, so see a doctor as soon as possible; leaving the condition untreated can make it worse.
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Patellofemoral pain syndrome is a common condition that results from running. Signs and symptoms include pain that comes from behind, or around the knee, and a clicking sound when you bend the knee. The pain becomes more intense when you run downhill. The condition is the result of a frequent flexing that causes the knee cap, or patella, to become misaligned on the groove it rides along the femur, the bone in your upper leg.
Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Another common condition that results from running is iliotibial band syndrome. This is when the iliotibial band that runs along the outside of your thigh becomes inflamed. The band is a tendon that starts at your hip and crosses your knee to your shin bone. The band slides back and forth over the bottom of your femur as you flex your knee, but repetitive flexing during running can irritate the band. Signs and symptoms of this condition include pain that feels like it's cutting straight across the knee and possibly up the outside portion of your lower thigh.
Address the Symptoms
As soon as you feel the signs and symptoms of running knee problems, address them with a standard treatment known by the acronym RICE. It stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation. That means you should wrap your knee in an elastic bandage, prop it up and then ice it for 20 minutes at a time. This will help reduce pain and swelling. Your physician may also tell you to take anti-inflammatory drugs, and you may need an injection of cortisone in your knee if the swelling doesn't go down in a few days.
Resolve the Symptoms
As soon as your knee pain goes away, you will need to resolve the symptoms of runner's knee with physical therapy. For patellofemoral pain syndrome, strengthen and stretch the muscles that support your knee cap, which are the quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteal muscles in your buttocks. For iliotibial band syndrome, stretch the iliotibial band and then strengthen the gluteus medius in your buttocks from which the tendon originates.
For both conditions, surgery is rare. However, for patellofemoral pain syndrome you may need to have an orthopedic surgeon smooth the underside of the patella. For iliotibial band syndrome, you may need the surgeon to snip the band where it crosses the knee cap.
References
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Runner's Knee (Patellofemoral Pain)
- "American Family Physician"; Management of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome; Dr. Sameer Dixit, et al.; January 2007
- "American Familiy Physician"; Iliotibial Band Syndrome: A Common Source of Knee Pain; Dr. Razib Khaund, et al.; April 2005
