What we Treat / Runner's knee

Runner's Knee is a painful overuse knee injury that affects the outer part of the knee. It is fairly common in runners and cyclists. It is reported to affect 2-10% of all runners, while around a quarter of all knee injuries in cyclists are diagnosed as Runner's Knee.

Typically there is pain located on the outer side of the knee joint. This pain may radiate up the thigh or down the outer side of the shin and is exacerbated by running or cycling activities. Usually, the pain from Runner's Knee is only present during activity and settles when the person rests. However, in some cases it can also be extremely uncomfortable going up or down stairs.

Virtually all cases of Runner's Knee respond well to Physiotherapy treatment. The aims of treatment are to resolve the localised inflammatory response and identify and address any underlying postural and body alignment issues that may be contributing to the problem. Leg length differences, a knock kneed posture or a foot position where the arch of the foot lowers during running can all contribute to Runner's Knee. Our Physios will check for these things during the physical assessment and will give specific advice to correct these problems before the person returns to activity, in order to prevent a recurrence of Runner's Knee.

In mild cases of Runners Knee a knee strap can relieve symptoms very effectively during running. We have these available for purchase in the retail section of our clinic. It is important that the appropriate support is used and we can advise you on this.

For a full list of our Foot Related injuries please click here