Why knees hurt after running

Now Offering Telemedicine Visits! Learn More. But if you are experiencing knee pain after running, something more serious could be wrong. Board certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Zach Logan explains common reasons your knee may hurt after running on Livestrong.

This pain can be a result of the knee cap not tracking properly over the thigh bone or from not getting enough rest between runs. Logan says. Pain below the kneecap is likely due to repetitive stress on your knee from running. Over time, that stress could result in patellar tendonitis. If you need additional pain relief, you can take certain over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications NSAIDs , such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.

Acetaminophen, the active ingredient found in Tylenol, can also help. You may want to talk to your doctor before taking these medicines, especially if you have other health conditions or take other prescription medications. They may tape your knee or give you a brace to provide extra support and pain relief. You may also need to wear shoe inserts known as orthotics.

Surgery may be recommended if your cartilage is damaged or if your kneecap needs to be realigned. Follow this guide to safely pop your knee to relieve gas buildup and tension.

Find out what causes the sensation to need to pop your knee from time to…. Jumper's knee — also called patellar tendonitis — is an overuse injury that occurs when a tendon is overloaded, causing it to thicken.

I see this most often in younger patients who complain about pain in the front of the knee. It can be especially painful when you squat, jump or land. Jumper's knee typically begins in adolescence or early adulthood.

A sports medicine or orthopaedic specialist can help young athletes by evaluating running mechanics and prescribing strengthening exercises to help avoid re-injury. Other therapies include massage, extracorporeal shockwave therapy and infrapatellar strapping a bracing device. Athletes can also have injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament ACL , posterior cruciate ligament PCL , collateral ligament , meniscus , cartilage and tendons. Most people with PFP syndrome need to cut back or stop sports for some time.

Follow the health care provider's instructions on when it's safe for you to go back to sports. This usually is when:. It can take months to years for the symptoms from PFP syndrome to get better. Following an exercise plan given by the health care provider or physical therapist can help the knee heal. Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome Runner's Knee. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Is Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome? Tight or weak leg muscles or flat feet can make someone more likely to get PFP syndrome.

To diagnose patellofemoral pain syndrome, health care providers: ask about physical activities do an exam Usually no testing is needed. For pain: Put ice or a cold pack on the knee every 1—2 hours for 15 minutes at a time. Put a thin towel between the ice and your skin to protect it from the cold. You can take ibuprofen Advil, Motrin, or store brand or naproxen Aleve, Naprosyn, or store brand.