What can I do to alleviate my knee pain while jogging?
January 20, 2022 | 30,00 EUR | answered by Eva Ziegler
Dear Doctor,
My name is Christiane Lang and I have been suffering from knee pain while jogging for some time now. I am a passionate runner and have been training regularly. However, the pain has been causing me great concern and significantly impacting my training.
The pain mainly occurs while running, especially when running uphill or downhill. After training, the pain often worsens and persists for a longer period of time. I have already tried to improve my running technique and wear special shoes, but the pain is still present.
I am wondering if the pain could be due to overloading of the knee joints or if there may be an injury. I really want to continue jogging as running is very important to me, but I also do not want to jeopardize my health.
Therefore, my question to you is: What can I do to alleviate my knee pain while jogging? Are there specific exercises I can do to strengthen my knees, or should I take a break from running? Are there any other treatment options that I should consider?
I would greatly appreciate your help and expertise in this matter. I look forward to hearing from you and am eager to receive your advice.
Sincerely,
Christiane Lang
Dear Christiane Lang,
Thank you for your message and for trusting in my expertise as an orthopedic specialist. I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing knee pain while jogging and that it is affecting your passion for running. It is important that you pay attention to your knee and take the pain seriously to avoid further damage.
The symptoms you described, especially the occurrence of pain when running uphill or downhill, suggest an overload of the knee joints. This could have various causes, such as incorrect running technique, inadequate warm-up before training, improper footwear, or muscular imbalances around the knee joint.
To alleviate your knee pain and possibly eliminate it in the long term, I recommend the following measures:
1. Consultation with an orthopedic specialist: It is important that you see a specialist to receive an accurate diagnosis of your symptoms. The doctor can determine whether it is an overload, an injury, or another cause through clinical examinations and possibly imaging procedures such as X-rays or MRI scans.
2. Rest and protection: If the pain is too severe, it is advisable to take a break from jogging to allow the knee time to recover. Alternatively, you can switch to other joint-friendly sports such as swimming or cycling.
3. Physiotherapy: A physiotherapist can show you targeted exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee joint, to reduce the strain on the joint and improve stability.
4. Running analysis: It might be helpful to have a professional running analysis done to identify and correct any errors in your running technique.
5. Change of shoes: Check if your running shoes still provide adequate cushioning and stability. It may be beneficial to switch to specialized running shoes for overpronators or supinators.
6. Stretching and strengthening exercises: Regular stretching and strengthening exercises for the leg muscles can help reduce the strain on the knee joint and improve stability.
It is important to listen to the signals of your body and not continue to overstrain if the pain persists. Early treatment and targeted measures can help alleviate and improve your knee pain in the long term.
I hope these suggestions will help you and wish you a speedy recovery. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me.
Best regards,
Eva Ziegler
