RUNNER'S KNEE?

Everything was going smoothly just a moment ago – and suddenly you feel a sharp pain on the outside of your knee. Runner’s knee is not unusual; it’s one of the most common running injuries. The good news is: once you know the cause, you can take targeted steps to overcome it.

Runner's knee (ITBS) is a typical sign of overload – it affects a fascial band on the outside of the knee known as the tractus iliotibialis.

The symptoms are usually not caused by a single factor, but rather by a combination of several factors: increasing training intensity too quickly, unfamiliar stress on the body, inefficient running technique or muscular weakness. External factors such as hard or sloped surfaces, as well as unsuitable running shoes, can further increase the strain.

The result: forces are not optimally distributed when the foot strikes the ground, leading to increased tensile and compressive stresses in the knee – and this is precisely what can trigger the typical pain on the outside of the knee.

For acute symptoms, rest is key: taking a break from running, applying cold therapy, and performing targeted stretching exercises and fascia training (e.g., with a foam roller) can reduce tension in the tissues and ease pain.

In the long term, it is important to identify and address the individual causes. Depending on the initial situation, different measures may be appropriate: for example, improving running technique and targeted strength training – especially for the muscles of the hips and the outer thighs. Choosing the right running shoes is also important to prevent non-physiological stress from occurring in the first place.