Painful knees after running

Pain in the Knee After Running

Knee pain is a very common condition in the athletes and those who run recreationally. There are a lot of possible conditions which can affect your knees after running. The pain can appear just because you sprained a muscle, but there are some more serious cases which require special treatment. Possible problems include torn ligaments, tendon injuries, dislocated kneecap and knee inflammation.

Causes

There are a number of factors which can cause pain in the knees after running. Inappropriate footwear can cause pain in the knees and feet as well. Having excess weight applies extra pressure on your knee joints, which can increase the risk of pain after running. Running on hard surface can also cause pain in your knees. Calcium deficiency is also one of the possible causes of pain in your knees. If you sustain an injury while running, it can cause a lot of pain as well.

Treatment

The simplest treatment is to put ice or cold compression on the painful knee after running. You should also elevate you knees while you are lying down. This will also reduce the swelling of the knee. You can take some painkillers if the pain is persistent. These measures can be applied in mild cases. In severe cases, you should see a doctor. Your doctor will diagnose your condition and determine special medical treatment. Your doctor may suggest physical therapy which will depend on the severity of your condition. In most severe cases, surgery is necessary. Such cases include torn ligaments, damaged joints and bone fractures.

Prevention

In order to prevent pain in the knees you should take good care of the muscles in your knees. Flexible and strong knee muscles are less prone to injuries and strains. Before you start running you should warm up and do stretching exercises designed for knee muscles. You should also walk for some time before running because you will reduce the risk of injury. If you start feeling pain while walking you should not run. You can also wear compression garments around tour knees in order to prevent spraining of ligaments. It is very important to have proper shoes while running, especially if you run on hard surface. You should take care of your weight because excess weight can cause additional pressure in your knees. To prevent damage of the joints you should take enough calcium. It is recommended to include diary products, green vegetables and whole grains in your diet.