Menu
The so-called runner’s knee is a syndrome whose main symptom is knee pain from musculoskeletal inflammation caused mainly by three underlying causes:
Overuse is the most common cause of runner’s knee and can be managed by following these tips for runner’s knee self-management:
Body posture imbalance can be identified with a high-tech postural assessment with a 3D foot pressure scan, which will identify load imbalances between the right and left leg.
This forces imbalance on the two limbs will affect the knees as well, with the result that one knee will be subjected to more forces than the other one.Â
These force imbalances will stress the musculoskeletal system of that knee, causing knee pain.
So there will be a sort of overuse, but only for one knee, even if the amount of training is not excessive for the runner.
Running Technique issues can be identified with a high-tech running analysis with a load-bearing sensitive treadmill and video system.
This gait analysis system is able to identify dozens of analytical data about running parameters and gait imbalances.
Running technique issues, such as excessive forefoot running or running supination, can be the cause of the runner’s knee.
Body posture imbalances can be an underlying cause of runner’s knee. In our running lab in London, we have been gathering hundreds of running assessments, collecting thousands of analytical data about running injuries and body posture imbalances.
The images below describe the relationship between recurrent runner knee pain and body posture imbalances.
The first image describes the stance analysis ( standing position ) with a 3D foot pressure scan, which indicates the exact forces acting between the foot and the ground. you can see a higher peak of forces acting on the left and right forefoot (red spot of the 3D graph ). These peaks of pressure can be transmitted along the shin until the knee, causing knee pain and inflammation.
The second image describes the same body posture analysis with a 2D foot pressure map and contains analytical data which quantify the force imbalance acting on the two feet. Specifically, in this runner, there is an overload on the left foot with a discrepancy of 3.6% compared with the right foot. This discrepancy and force imbalance can cause more stress on the left knee, inducing joint inflammation.
Â
Forefoot overload during running can be one of the main causes of the runner’s knee.
The images below show the difference in load between the left and right foot.
The first image shows the single left foot step expressed as a 3D foot pressure map. The red spots indicate the highest peak of forces acting on the external part of the left forefoot. These forces are transmitted to the knee through the shin bone, causing not only knee pain but shin splints as well.
The second image shows the same data as the first one, in which you can see less load and peak of forces acting on the right forefoot.
Excessive external foot rotation can be another cause of runner’s knee, as there is an excessive rotation of both the foot and knee, contributing to an excessive rotational stress on the ankle and knee joint.
Our data from hundreds of running analyses shows that 70-80% of excessive external foot rotation is linked with running supination.
Our data from a small number of running analyses shows a correlation between knee pain and excessive external forefoot rolling during foot strike.
Excessive external forefoot rotation creates a bigger stress on the external metatarsal bones ( external forefoot), which is transmitted up to the knee joint, through the Peroneus and Tibia bones.
We have found this kind of running technical issue in a very few runners, but it is almost always linked with recurrent knee pain.
The image below shows the butterfly running parameters, where the excessive external forefoot rolling is expressed from the shape of the gait lines.
This runner has a heel running supination as well, evidenced by the gait line positioned on the external part of the heel.
 15%OFF for the first visit
PROMO CODE: firstvisit15Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
One Reply on “Causes of runner’s knee identified with high-tech running analysis”