One of the most common injuries that make training difficult is runner’s knee. Some people run and tolerate or take painkillers before important starts, others are afraid to go out for a run because the pain will return and they’ll have to settle for walking. This article is about fixing your runner’s knee before it’s too late.
How to diagnose inflammation in the knee joint
To find out whether you are actually developing a serious knee syndrome, take a good look at yourself during and after training. Inflammation in a runner’s knee lasts for a long time – anywhere from a month and a half to six months. If you notice any symptoms, you should start treatment straight away. The first thing to do is to refuse to put on any loads for a while and ensure rest. In the first 24 hours, it is advisable to periodically apply cold to the injured knee until the pain subsides. Diagnosis of runner’s knee can also be made by X-ray, MRI or ultrasound of the joint, as well as by consultation with an orthopaedic traumatologist.
How to treat runner’s knee
A variety of ointments can help relieve the localised pain of the syndrome. These should contain nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These ointments reduce pain and inflammation. Your doctor can prescribe the appropriate oral medication to help you achieve a speedy recovery. These may also include microcirculatory boosters, tabulated non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and hyaluronic acid-based preparations to be injected into the joint. Surgical treatment is used for patellar chondromalacia in cases where conservative treatment is ineffective.
Massage, kinesiotaping and physiotherapy are also used to treat chondromalacia. The medical massage helps with the swelling and tightness in the tendon. Therapeutic exercises to stretch the iliotibial tract must always be included in the therapeutic complex. Kinesiology taping limits the inflammatory reaction and reduces the tension of the iliotibial tract through muscle and fascial correction. One of the most progressive methods is shockwave therapy, which can provide physiotherapy for joints. Targeted exposure to the device improves blood circulation and tissue nutrition, stimulating tissue regeneration.
With the right approach, the athlete can avoid a recurrence of the syndrome in the future. But you should not try to treat the syndrome on your own, otherwise you can only make it worse. A consultation with a doctor will help determine an effective rehabilitation strategy. During rehabilitation, physical exercises with axial load on the knee joint must be avoided. During training, the doctor may recommend the use of knee braces to prevent injuries or the use of special insoles to reduce the load on the knee joint.