5 Tips for Avoiding Runner’s Knee
If you’re a frequent runner, you’re most likely familiar with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS), or runner’s knee as we like to call it. The stress of running can cause major irritation where the kneecap rests on the thighbone. We’ve rounded up five tips for avoiding those sharp and sudden pains associated with Runner’s Knee.
- Run on softer surfaces like grass, woodland trails, sand, or even snow. Different surfaces provide a different impact on your joints. If you’re constantly running on sidewalks and paved roads consider mixing in some of those other surfaces or trading in a few outdoor runs for treadmill sessions.
- Make sure you are wearing the proper shoes for your foot type and gait. Here’s a good rule of thumb—if they hurt in your living room, they will definitely hurt on the road. Additionally, when trying on new shoes, it’s best to do it in the evening after your feet swell a little over the course of a day.
- Strengthening your quadriceps and stretching your hamstrings and calves will prevent over pronation.
- Cut back on mileage and knee-bending activities—by lessening the knee’s workload, the faster you can heal!
- Look to Core Products Wraparound Neoprene Knee Support. For minor strains, sprains and arthritic conditions, the soft lining allows for adjustable comfort and compression. This item features internal spiral stays to increase medial and lateral support and repositionable felt buttress pad help patellar tracking.