Runner's Knee

Another common injury experienced by runners is runner's knee, which is medically known as Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome.  According to Runners World, about forty two percent of all overuse injuries affect the knee joint.  Runners knee happens when a kneecap irritates the femoral groove that rests on the femur.  It is very difficult to point out one cause of runners knee but some doctors believe that the patella may be larger on the outside than on the inside. This causes it to sit higher on the femoral groove.  Also, some people's  knees may dislocate easily.  A very common cause involves worn cartilage in the knee joint.  When there is not a sufficient amount of cartilage, the knee can not absorb as much shock from running.  Furthermore, causes include; high arched feet providing less cushioning and flat feet or knees that turn in our out can pull the patella sideways, tight hamstrings and calf muscles can put pressure on the knee, and weak quadriceps muscles can cause the patella to track out of alignment. I realized a slight pain in my knees from running and as soon as I could I went to visit a chiropractor.  They do a scan of how much weight you put on each foot and also how you distribute weight on each foot when you run or walk.  The doctor found that I was putting more weight on the inner part of one foot and the outer part of the other.  This is what caused me to start getting pain in my knees and luckily I caught it before it became a full on knee injury.  Now, I run with orthotic shoes that help me distribute my weight evenly and help avoid me from turning one foot inwards.  Some symptoms of knee injury include tenderness around the patella, pain in the back of your knee, or a feeling of your knee giving out.  As soon as you feel any pain it is important that you cut back on your running.  If you continually feel pain every time you run, as I did, make sure you see a doctor.

Further information on runners knee can be found at:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-285--7773-0,00.html

Source:
"Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome ("Runner's Knee")." Knee Injuries From Running at Runner's World.com. Web. 01 Mar. 2012. <http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-285--7773-0,00.html>.