Runner’s knee, aka patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) and chondromalacia patellae, is very common in runners. Runner’s knee symptoms often come from tight muscles causing knee pain and imbalances. This video has some runner’s knee treatment exercises and stretches.
So the first stretch is for the hamstrings. You can stretch the hamstrings in many different ways. It not only helps relieve knee pain, but it also helps relieve hip and back pain.
The next stretch is for the quads. If the quads are tight, it can cause extra pressure on the patelloemoral or kneecap area.
When you have a tight IT band, it can cause the kneecap to not track properly. Runners also tend to have a lot of IT band pain. This stretch will help relieve knee pain as well as hip pain.
Strengthening the outer hip muscles is just as important for runner’s knee relief. The gluteus medius is a very important muscle to keep strong. You can strengthen this area by doing sidelying hip abduction and clamshells exercises.
Other great strengthening exercises for the knee and hips are straight leg raises lying down on your back. Other great ones to help strengthen your gluteus maximus and your hamstrings are lying on your stomach.
Another very important muscle to strengthen is your vastus medialis oblique (VMO). The VMO helps keep the patella tracking properly. Squats with a ball squeeze are a great way to relieve runner’s knee symptoms. Also, side steps ups or lateral step ups can not only help heal a runner’s knee injury, but it can help prevent it as well.
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