Welcome to our health column penned by Dr. Zingisa Nyawose, a Biokineticist based in Durban.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome, also known as runner’s knee, could be a contributing factor to your knee pain. It is often characterized by pain at the front of the knee or around the kneecap. This pain typically worsens with running, walking up or down stairs, sitting for long periods with bent knees, and squatting. Most of the time, runner’s knee is caused by increasing the training load too soon (e.g. an increase in speed or distance too quickly), but other factors such as tight quadriceps, excessive pronation, and muscle imbalances can also contribute.
To manage this condition, it is important to initially reduce the load on the knee joint by modifying the intensity of your training and addressing any risk factors, including improving range of motion (mobility work), muscle strength, and ensuring you have appropriate footwear for running. Additionally, the increase in your training load should be gradual as symptoms subside to avoid the injury from recurring. A healthcare professional can best examine you to determine the underlying cause of your runner’s knee.
Dr. Zingisa Nyawose is a Biokineticist based in Durban Central and can be contacted at [email protected] for assistance with musculoskeletal injuries. For further contact information, visit www.mpwrhealth.co.za.
To find out more about Biokinetics or to locate a Biokineticist near you, visit www.biokineticssa.org.za.