Preventing Knee Pain While Running

Posted On: May 14, 2025 by Robert Matijevich

This is what athletes and amateurs face. So you go for a morning run to enjoy nature and support and recharge your batteries for the whole day. But suddenly, you experience sudden pain in your knee. Alas, this is a very common phenomenon and depends on various factors. So what to do with a sore knee during running? How can you recover and lead a healthy lifestyle again?

Benefits and Risks of Running

Running prolongs life, improves mood, and helps people get in shape. And this is especially important on the eve of summer when many want to lose weight. Running as an active aerobic exercise releases endorphins, chemicals that help relieve pain or stress. Also, this sport is an excellent cardio workout and an opportunity to spend more time outdoors. Doctors know that running reduces your resting heart rate, the number of heartbeats per minute when you are at rest. This is a significant indicator of overall health and physical fitness. The lower the rate, the more efficient your heartbeat. Running even helps reduce the risk of death from heart attacks, strokes, and other common diseases. But in addition to the above, running is a physical exercise with a high impact load. Overtraining or carelessness while running can lead to injuries, especially knee injuries.

Why Does the Knee Hurt after Running?

There are several factors to consider. The structures in and around the knee can be damaged due to injury, illness, or overuse. This can cause severe pain that recurs every time you run or even just walk. But you can’t rule out factors like poorly fitting shoes. Let’s discuss the most common causes of knee pain in runners.

• Knee bursitis: inflammation and swelling of the small fluid-filled sacs in front of the knee cap. A person usually feels pain when moving in this case.
• Iliotibial band syndrome: swelling/irritation of the iliotibial band, a tendon on the outside of the leg that runs from the top of the pelvic bone down to the knee, is common in people who actively run and in professional athletes.
• Patellar tendinitis is an injury to the tendon connecting the kneecap to the tibia. It causes pain that gets worse with intense activity.
• Muscle weakness: Weak quadriceps and hamstring muscles contribute to the pain. They become less effective at stabilizing the knee joints.
• Meniscus tear: Damage to the cartilage that cushions the space between the tibia and femur. This injury can occur when the knee is suddenly and forcefully twisted or rotated.
• Patellofemoral pain syndrome: This is a dull ache around the kneecap that causes a grinding or popping sound when bending and straightening the knee. It is very common among runners.
• Osteoarthritis is a very common joint disorder. It occurs when the cartilage in the knee breaks down, rubbing against each other, causing pain, stiffness, and weakness in the joints.

Knee Protection for Running

How to prevent knee pain while running? How can you make sure you can enjoy your workouts without feeling discomfort? There are a couple of rules.

Prevent Injuries with Pre- and Post-Run Stretching

It is essential to prepare your muscles for running. Stretch before you go for a run. This helps prevent knee pain.

Static stretching helps reduce stiffness, reduce the risk of muscle strains, and maintain a good range of motion in the knee joints after activity. Practice stretching your quadriceps, hamstrings, IT band, and calf muscles. This will help protect your knees.

Dynamic stretching targets specific muscles, ligaments, and soft tissues used during running. This method helps warm up and prepare for the load. Just a few minutes of dynamic stretching will help you be ready to run!

 

Choose a Pace

Don’t rush to set records! If you are new to running, start slowly, having previously done stretching exercises. Listen to your body. It is essential to be vigilant if you have previously suffered a knee injury. Give your body time to recover from the injury.

Strength Training and Knee Support

Build the muscles that support and stabilize the knee joints. Pay attention to exercises aimed at strengthening the quadriceps, the muscle group of the front of the thigh. Also, do exercises that develop the muscles that extend the hip and bend the knee (hamstrings), as well as the muscles of the thighs and buttocks.

Maintain Water Balance and Lubricate Your Joints

Drink enough water. It is known that water helps to “lubricate” the joints of your body. You will feel less stiffness and pain associated with joints. You will have access to a greater range of motion, which is essential when running. Losing just 1.5% of water in the body can lead to fatigue, dizziness, and other symptoms of dehydration. Men should drink about 16 glasses of water a day, and women should drink 11 glasses every day. However, it is better to make calculations individually, considering all your body’s characteristics.

Choose the Right Running Shoes

The right running shoes are the key to the health of your knees. The fact is that the comfort of your boots affects your posture. Incorrect shoes can disrupt the posture of the lower body. This can increase the load on your knees. The structure of your foot is individual. So try to choose shoes that are right for you. They should be designed for sports and be as comfortable as possible for you. Analyze how you feel after intense training in these shoes. They should promote a healthy, normal gait. The weight and load should be evenly distributed throughout the lower body. And one more thing! Change your running shoes after 500 miles. Do not wear old shoes that can no longer perform their functions well.

Do Not Ignore Knee Pain

Have you experienced knee pain during running and other activities? Be sure to stop training and consult a doctor as soon as possible. Knee pain that lasts more than one or two days or gradually worsens is especially dangerous. The doctor will help you and tell you how to care for your knees at home. In such cases, physiotherapy is often useful.

Physical Therapy for Knee Pain

Physiotherapy is very useful for treating knee pain. It also helps upgrade joint mobility and function. Through manual therapy, exercise, and other non-invasive methods, physical therapy enables you to regain your health. It also improves your posture and relieves muscle tension. However, long-term training is necessary.

Conclusions

What to do when your knee hurts? Don’t tolerate pain! We know how to help you. Our specialists will provide you with high-quality physiotherapy. It will help relieve tension, soothe pain, restore mobility, and make you feel better. We have advanced pain relief methods. With us, your life will become better. And you will be able to enjoy running and any physical activity again without experiencing discomfort. Sign up for a consultation!