Most Common Cause Of Knee Pain In Runners

By Alexander Green, DC

NOVA Headache & Chronic Pain Center

. https://www.novaheadache.com/

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Most Common Cause Of Knee Pain In Runners

Almost all runners experience knee pain at some point. You may or may not have tried icing your knee, taking time off, or foam rolling the muscles of the thigh. If all of these attempts have not been able to rid you of that nagging pain, please read on.

Glute Medius Dysfunction

There are actually three gluteal muscles gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. The muscle that has been found to be inactive in many runners with chronic knee and also back pain is gluteus medius. When this muscle is not firing correctly, the knee will tend to deviate inward leading to uneven wear of the cartilage and menisci of the knee.

Most runners are familiar with the iliotibial (IT) band and IT Band syndrome. The IT band is a tendinous extension of the tensor fascia lata (TFL), which is a muscle located on the outer aspect of the hip. The TFL will attempt to compensate for a lack of activation in the gluteus medius. Foam rolling is effective in alleviating some of the tension that you may be feeling, but will not address the underlying cause.

Why Is Gluteal Medius Dysfunction So Common?

Inactivity in all of the gluteal muscles is very common today because of the sedentary lifestyles that we lead. When we are sitting, the glutes are essentially “shut off”, and the lack of activation in these muscles will sometimes lead to misalignments in the pelvic joints, making it difficult to reactivate them fully when you stand back up.

What Can You Do About It?

Purchasing a set of resistance bands is a must. Incorporating exercises such as the gluteal bridge and step outs into your workout or warm-up routine is also necessary.

You may need to take time off of running or whatever activity is causing your issues while you strengthen your glutes. You should continue to foam roll the IT band as well. Ice is your friend when dealing with chronic inflammation. Guidelines for ice are as follows no direct contact with the skin, 10-15 minutes on and an equivalent amount of time with the ice off to allow the tissues to warm back up.

If rehab alone does not remedy your symptoms and reduce your pain, this may be an indication that there is a misalignment of the pelvic bones which is not permitting the gluteal muscles to be fully activated. If this is the case, it is best to see a professional.