Causes and Treatment of Runner's Knee

Athletes who are forced to run or jump a lot are familiar with such a deviation as "runner's knee" or chondromalacia. Excessive loads during training provoke the destruction of cartilage. Friction of the affected areas causes an inflammatory process. At the initial stage of development, pathology brings an uncomfortable sensation in the knee when making sudden movements. During this period, a few days of rest are enough to neutralize the pain. The advanced form of the disease is accompanied by a process of joint deformation, which brings severe pain and requires conservative or surgical treatment.

What is this deviation?

The occurrence of pain in the knee while running or walking can signal the onset of the development of serious joint damage. It is necessary to immediately seek the advice of a doctor, he decides how to treat the pathology.

During professional training, athletes may experience microcracks in the cavity of the knee joint. With an intensive increase in loads, they do not have time to regenerate, so the constant friction of the affected tissues provokes an inflammatory process in the iliac-tibial tract, and in the patella. Pathological changes in cartilage lead to a decrease in its elasticity with subsequent deformation. The characteristic name of the disease is due to the fact that it most often develops in athletes who run and jump a lot. Overcoming obstacles during training exacerbates the condition of the knee joint.

Causes of pathology

Runner's knee syndrome develops in athletes, as well as in other areas of activity. Its occurrence is influenced by such factors:

The cause of the pathology may be walking in high heels.

• excessive load on the legs;
• long run on sloping or winding paths;
• uncomfortable shoes used during training;
• congenital deviations in the formation of the foot;
• walking in high heels;
• infectious diseases;
• vascular diseases leading to malnutrition of the joint;
• allergy;
• decreased muscle tone of the lower extremities.

Main symptoms

Depending on the stage of damage to the knee, the manifestation of the disease changes. The more pathological changes have occurred in the joint, the more intense they are. In the progression of the "runner's knee" syndrome, 4 stages are distinguished with the following characteristic symptoms:

1. Pain and discomfort appears with minor physical exertion and disappears at rest.
2. The pain syndrome does not leave the athlete not only during training, but also during rest.
3. This stage is characterized by a more intense manifestation of pain, which can only be overcome with the help of analgesics.
4. In the advanced form of the disease, irreversible destruction processes occur in the joint cavity, which can lead to rupture of the ligaments.

How is runner's knee diagnosed?

The doctor can make a diagnosis after a detailed examination of the joint.

The diagnosis of "runner's knee" is made on the basis of examination and clarification of complaints. Pressing on the affected area causes the patient to experience pain. On palpation, tibial tuberosity and swelling are felt at the junction of the ligament with the patella. Strengthening the inflammatory process causes redness of the skin on the affected knee. To clarify the diagnosis, the following instrumental studies are carried out:

• radiography;
• CT or ;

Treatment of pathology

In the early stages, therapy for runner's knee syndrome consists of resting the affected limb. If necessary, the sore knee should be treated with cold using cold compresses or ice. Lower temperature causes vasospasm, which reduces the risk of intra-articular bleeding. With a more serious lesion of the joint, the use of medications is necessary. To reduce pain and inflammation, analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed. The more severe the form of the disease, the more the knee joint needs rest. Physiotherapeutic procedures such as electrophoresis, UHF have a good analgesic effect. It is recommended, together with the doctor, to make a set of exercises to prevent muscle atrophy. Massage with such damage to the joint is not used, as it can worsen the condition of the limb.

Surgical treatment is carried out using arthroscopy.

If conservative treatment does not give a positive result, then surgical intervention is prescribed using an arthroscope. The operation is performed under local anesthesia. Damage to the skin during the procedure is insignificant, so the risk of complications is minimal.

How to warn?

A set of preventive measures will help prevent irreversible damage to the knee joint.

Professional sports involve constant tension of the musculoskeletal system, which leads to damage to the joints, ligaments, muscles. Therefore, the athlete must be attentive to the signals of his body in the form of pain. Training should be replaced by periods of rest. If you experience the slightest discomfort, you should consult a doctor when the development of articular deformities can be prevented with a short break from training. An advanced form of the disease can lead to the need to leave professional sports, so it is important for a runner to prevent the development of the disease.