Ask Our Team - Lateral Knee Pain
Ask Out Team - Lateral Knee Pain
Q. "Hi Absolute, I am having trouble with some pain on the outside of my knee which only ever strikes me when I am about half an hour into my regular run (about 8km). Any ideas about what this might be?"
Thanks for your help. Gemma.
A. Hi Gemma, thank you for your question. A couple of things can be the cause of lateral (outside) knee pain. Things such as the lateral collateral ligament as well as the lateral meniscus (cartilage) are located in this area of the knee however with the symptoms you are describing it sounds like you may be suffering from a condition called Runner's Knee otherwise known as ITB Friction Syndrome.
ITB Friction Syndrome is a condition which is caused when the long tight band that runs down the outside of your thigh, the ITB (ilio-tibial band), rubs over a bony bump on the outside of your femur bone (lateral epicondyle). The rubbing often causes the small sack of fluid (bursa) which lies on the surface of the bone to become inflamed intern giving you the pain in this region. The more you run the more it rubs, which is why the symptoms kick in later in the run rather than early.
To effectively treat this condition we need to be assess and consider the following:
- Hip and Knee Control
- ITB and glute tightness
- Foot function and arch support
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Relative rest and unloading
Hope this helps you Gemma. Each case can be a little different and a tailored rehabilitation program is recommended. This is where we come into play to help set you up with a plan to get you back running painfree ASAP.
Devon Soutar - Physiotherapist | Managing DIrector @ Absolute
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