Why Your Knees Hurt After Running (And How to Prevent It)
For many runners, the thrill of hitting the pavement is unmatched—feeling the wind in your hair, syncing your stride with your breath, and embracing the runner’s high. But sometimes, that joy comes with a downside: knee pain. If you’ve ever felt a nagging ache or discomfort in your knees after a run, rest assured you’re not alone. At Epoch Health, we frequently encounter patients suffering from knee pain, and in many cases, improper biomechanics are the culprit.
Our knees are intricate structures that absorb the impact of every step, supporting the body’s weight. When your running form is off, your knees are placed under undue stress, which can lead to pain and potential injury.
How Improper Biomechanics Affect Your Knees:
Overpronation: This occurs when your foot rolls too far inward during your stride, causing a misalignment in the knee joint. The added stress on the inner knee can lead to discomfort or even injury over time.
Underpronation (Supination): On the flip side, if your foot doesn’t roll inward enough, the outer side of your knee bears the brunt of the impact, leading to strain.
Weak Muscles: If your hips, glutes, or core are weak, your body’s alignment and stability suffer, placing more stress on your knees as you run.
Stride Length and Cadence: A long, inefficient stride or a slow cadence forces your knees to absorb more shock with each step, increasing the risk of discomfort or pain.
Effective Strategies to Prevent Knee Pain
While knee pain may seem inevitable for runners, there are ways to minimize and prevent it. Implement these strategies to keep your knees healthy and pain-free:
Choose the Right Footwear: The right shoes make a huge difference. Invest in running shoes that match your foot type and provide ample cushioning. Visit a specialty running store to ensure the best fit for your biomechanics.
Optimise Your Running Form: Proper form is crucial to reducing stress on your knees. Work with a coach or use video analysis to ensure you’re running efficiently. Focus on landing midfoot, maintaining a slight forward lean, and keeping your cadence between 160 to 180 steps per minute.
Strengthen Key Muscles: Strengthening your hips, glutes, and core is essential for better alignment and stability during running. Incorporate exercises like lunges, squats, and planks into your workout routine to build these muscles and protect your knees.
Warm-Up and Stretch: A proper warm-up primes your muscles and joints for activity, reducing the risk of injury. After your run, take time to stretch to maintain flexibility, particularly in your hips, hamstrings, and quads.
Cross-Train: Running isn’t the only way to stay active. Incorporating low-impact activities like swimming, cycling, or yoga gives your knees a break while keeping you fit.
Prioritise Recovery: Your body needs time to recover. Overtraining can worsen knee pain, so listen to your body, allow rest days, and avoid pushing through pain.
Seek Professional Help: If knee pain persists despite your best efforts, it’s time to consult a sports chiropractor, physiotherapist, sports medicine professional, or orthopedic specialist. They can assess your condition and recommend tailored treatments to address the root cause.
Proactive Care for Pain-Free Running
Knee pain doesn’t have to sideline your running passion. By correcting improper biomechanics, wearing the right shoes, focusing on strength training, and recovering properly, you can significantly reduce the risk of knee discomfort. Prevention is the key to long-term joint health, allowing you to run pain-free for years to come.
If knee pain is something you struggle with, our team at Epoch Health can help. With clinics in Dundas Valley and Telopea, we offer personalised care through manual therapy and individualised treatment plans. Contact us today 1300 887 513 to start your recovery journey and get back to moving pain-free.