Runner's Knee: It's more technical name is Patellogemoral Pain Syndrome. More then just runners get this problem, because it involves the knee cap (Patella) and the big thigh bone (Femur).
Most common signs and symptoms are pain around or behind the knee cap, pain while bending the knee, swelling of the knee and knee cap, tenderness around the knee, worsening pain while walking down hill or stairs and an audible pop or click feeling in the knee.
There are many different reasons and often times the cause is never really known. The most common causes is overuse, trauma, running form, foot problems and misalignment.
While a couple of the causes should be obvious there are two that you would only find out if you go to a doctor and or get medical imaging that would show the problem.
There are multiple ways to treat runner's knee and the easiest is the wait and see treatment. Some runners knee will go away on it's own. If the pain starts to increase or get worse however that is not a sign that it will go away.
The next is the age old adage of RICE. Rest the knee by keeping in straight and stay off it if you can. Ice the knee every few hours for twenty to thirty minutes. Increase patellar stability by wrapping the knee with an Ace bandage or by wearing a knee brace. Elevation is the last letter. Keep the knee elevated as much as possible to reduce swelling. The final thing that can help is ample use of anti-inflammatory over the counter drugs, but those have there own problems as well.
Plantar Fasciitis: Heel pain is another common malady in runners. This is cause by the irritation of the Plantar Fascia that runs from the base of the heel to the base of you toes (Metatarsal heads).
The heel will usually hurt worse in the morning or at the beginning of a run, but will feel better after your feet are warmed up. It might also return at the end of the run and when you are bare feet.
Another symptom is pain in the heel or arch after spending all day on your feet, but the most tell tail sign is if the first step as soon as you get out of bed in the morning hurts. If it does you have Plantar Fasciitis.
There are a few ways of treating plantar fasciitis and one of the first ones is by using an orthotic shoe insert. You will usually need a ridged insert and not a gel foam insert. Another thing that you can do is taping the arch of the foot to limit stress on the fascia.
If you have found that certain shoes cause the problem, then either limit those and similar shoes or stop using those types of shoes entirely. You can help fasciitis by stretching the calves and foot. While stretching the foot alone can causes reduction of symptoms together with a calf stretch can reduce pain. Stretching along with icing the foot can also cause relief.
Finally there is a night splint that your doctor can prescribe that you wear at night while you are sleeping.
ITBS: IT Band Syndrome can cause pain in the outside of the hip, knee, and hamstring area. The pain usually starts in the middle of or just after a run. The pain usually subsides after some rest, but if you run the same distance or longer it will return. If ignored the pain will become more frequent and come earlier in the run. ITBS can be called Runner's Knee as well so you need to make sure which problem you might actually have.
As you can see from the picture the IT band has its fibrous tendrils in and around a lot of muscles. Which is why ITBS can cause a lot of different area's to hurt when it is aggravated.
The cause is basically unknown and is simply given to different body mechanics or basically how we are born. It could be caused by over pronating of the foot or the opposite even. There are to many variables to test.
Treatment is just like with the prior two maladies and that is resting the leg by taking a few days off from running. Ice the area for twenty minutes every few hours and elevating the leg. Anti-inflammatory drugs can help as well as this is another inflammation problem.
I personally have had a lot of success from doing several yoga stretches to stretch the muscles connected to the IT band. Also foam rolling has relived my own IT problems. Using a foam roller is currently under increased scrutiny at the moment, but as I said it has relived my own issues.
Those are the most common problems that runners have. Now just because those are the most common that doesn't mean they are the only problems that people can have. There are plenty more problems that are out their from shin splints to toe problems. As those problems are less common I didn't cover them today.
I hope these helps someone out there and as always I am free and more then willing to help. Alsop ictures from various websites like patient.info, bodyheal.com and ASMWellness.com
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