Knee pain after running: causes and how to prevent it

Have you experienced knee pain after running? This pain, also called runner’s knee, is caused by overexertion and is one more of the overuse disorders you may experience after more demanding workouts than usual.

In this article we explain why knee pain occurs after running, how you can identify it and what remedies are available to minimise its impact. Put on your running shoes and let’s get started!

Why do I feel pain in my knee after running?

Runner’s knee or patellofemoral pain syndrome manifests as a dull ache in the patella, the front part of the knee. We can say that this type of injury is related to an accelerated increase in running speed or distance run. However, other factors could be involved, such as poor running technique or the use of inappropriate footwear.

Symptoms:

If you think your knee pain after running might be related to runner’s knee, pay attention to the symptoms. Discomfort occurs around the kneecap, whether you have been active for a long time or after sitting with your knees bent for a long period of time. Here are the symptoms:

• Pain usually occurs in the front of the knee when you are active. In fact, you may experience increased pain when running, going up or down stairs or squatting.
• You may also feel clicks in the joint when bending and straightening your leg.
• You can even feel sensitivity to touch.

Causes:

Although the causes are not entirely clear, we can identify certain factors that favour the onset of knee pain after running:

• Weak muscles around the joint.
• Excessive use of the knee, frequent running or jumping.
• Inadequate footwear that does not support the foot correctly.
• Problems aligning the kneecap.
• Training surfaces or flooring too hard.
• Previous injuries.

Get ready to prevent knee pain

• Maintain an appropriate weight. Excess weight puts more stress on your knee and you are more likely to feel pain when you exercise. Eat healthy, both to maintain your weight and to nourish your joints and muscles.
• Strengthens the leg muscles. The stronger the muscles that support the knee, the less chance of overloading the joint.
• Always warm up and stretch before and after training.
• Wear the right shoes. This is essential, along with running technique, to ensure the least possible impact on the joint.
• Strengthen your joints with joint-specific supplements, such as those formulated with organic silica, collagen and magnesium.

3 exercises to strengthen the musculature around the knee

One of the keys to preventing knee pain after running is to have strong muscles. Sometimes running is not enough, so we suggest strengthening your legs with some exercises that you can do both before and after your run. Please note, they don’t work as stretches, so don’t skip the stretching exercises before or after these exercises.

1. Squats. This exercise is ideal for strengthening the quadriceps. It’s good to have strong thighs for running as the quadriceps are what support the kneecap so that it glides smoothly up and down – which is how it should move – and not sideways. A good way to do squats is to lean your back against the wall, which ensures that you keep it straight. Lower yourself into the same position as if you were sitting in a chair and hold the position for a few seconds.
2. Knee bends with an elastic band. Sitting on the floor on a mat, bend one knee and place the elastic band around your ankle. Place the other end of the elastic on the sole of the other foot, whose leg should be straight, and bend and stretch the leg several times. You can do sets of 10 repetitions for each leg and rest for one minute at each change. This exercise strengthens your hamstrings.
3. Close and open your knees with hip elevation. To perform this exercise, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Raise your hips while contracting your abdominal muscles and pelvic floor and hold the position for a few seconds. Up to this point it is already a very complete exercise. However, you can go further if, once your hips are raised, you bring your knees together and separate them. Do 10 repetitions and rest before starting another set.

Supplementing your diet to avoid knee discomfort

In addition to exercise, diet and proper rest, you can strengthen your knees and other joints with supplements like these:

• Original Silicium G5, highly assimilable to increase its effectiveness. Silicium promotes good joint function in general, so if you like to run, this should be your go-to supplement.
• Orgono sport gel, perfect for massaging your knees after training. It penetrates very well into the skin, its boosting effect helps you recover from knee discomfort sooner.
• Orgono Articomplex, which helps you to recover physically after overexertion. You also benefit from an extra supply of essential minerals and vitamins that promote cartilage health.

As you can see, there are several strategies you can follow if you feel pain in your knee after running. However, we still recommend that you visit your doctor. Often, knee pain requires rest, but other times, you may need to take a painkiller. Remember not to self-medicate and that prevention is important.