Chronic knee pain not only makes you suffer, but it causes you to abstain from activities like running, playing soccer or working out on the Stairmaster. Read on for ways to relieve chronic knee pain and prevent it from coming back.

Suffering From Chronic Knee Pain

Do you have chronic knee pain on the outside of your knee? If so, you could have Iliotibial Band Syndrome.

Do you have chronic knee pain behind or around the kneecap? If so, you could have Chondromalacia, also called Patellofemoral Stress Syndrome or Runner’s Knee.

Now learn how to treat and prevent each type of chronic knee pain.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome: Relieve Chronic Knee Pain in the Outer Knee Area

Iliotibial band syndrome, an inflammatory condition, can cause chronic knee pain on the outside of the knee due to overuse during sports training. The iliotibial band is a fibrous band extending from the hip to the lateral knee that can become inflamed and cause chronic knee pain as it rubs over the knee’s lateral condyle. This band may not only cause chronic knee pain, but may also produce pain and swelling at the hip joint as well.

What Causes Outer Chronic Knee Pain Due to Iliotibial Band Syndrome?

Increased running is the number one cause of this condition, and can result in chronic knee pain. But if you are not careful, your chronic knee pain may get even worse if you do any of the following:

Wearing worn out shoes, especially if you run on a regular basis, can worsen chronic knee pain.
Running down hills can worsen chronic knee pain.
Changing anything about your workout, like changing the surface on which you run, can worsen chronic knee pain.

Conditions such as pronation, a tight iliotibial band, leg length inequality or weak quadriceps muscles can also worsen chronic knee pain.

What are the Symptoms of Outer Chronic Knee Pain Due to Iliotibial Band Syndrome?

The foremost symptom of Iliotibial band syndrome is clearly chronic knee pain, which can be localized at the outside of the knee or radiate up the side of the thigh. You may feel a snapping sensation when the bent knee is straightened. Aside from the chronic knee pain, however, there is little swelling, and range of motion of the knee joint should remain normal.

Relieve and Prevent Outer Chronic Knee Pain Due to Iliotibial Band Syndrome?

Reducing activity is the hallmark to reducing chronic knee pain. Stretching and strengthening exercises are mandatory as well if you want to ease your chronic knee pain.

In addition, try following these tips to treat your chronic knee pain:

Avoid running on hills if you want to ease chronic knee pain.
Stretch the iliotibial band – like with stretching aids – to avoid chronic knee pain.
Strengthen the quadriceps to help treat and prevent chronic knee pain.
Wear good supportive shoes with added arch supports, a great tip to help prevent all types of lower body pain – not just chronic knee pain.
Give ice massages to the painful area to help relieve chronic knee pain.
Take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication if needed to alleviate the chronic knee pain.
Wear knee supports for chronic knee pain relief.
Consult a podiatrist for custom-made orthotics to help ease chronic knee pain.

Chondromalacia: Relieve Chronic Knee Pain Behind or Around the Kneecap

Chronic knee pain behind or around the kneecap is often diagnosed as chondromalacia, an abnormal softening of the cartilage that makes it difficult to move your knee.

Chondromalacia occurs when the kneecap rubs against the lower end of the femur – the thighbone – instead of gliding smoothly over it. This repetition roughens the cartilage underneath the kneecap, causing chronic knee pain. The damage can range from a slight abnormality of the cartilage surface, to a surface that has been completely worn away to the bone.

Traumatic cases of this type of chronic knee pain occur when a blow to the kneecap actually tears off a piece of articular cartilage or bone.

This kind of chronic knee pain most commonly appears in:

Runners
Skiers
Cyclists
Soccer players

What Causes Chronic Knee Pain Behind or Around the Kneecap?

This type of chronic knee pain and the softening of the kneecap’s articular cartilage can be caused by:

Trauma can cause chronic knee pain.
Overuse can add to your chronic knee pain.
Muscle weakness can contribute to chronic knee pain.
Mal-alignment can cause chronic knee pain.
Age is a factor to consider when evaluating what caused your chronic knee pain.

Over-pronation can lead to mal-alignment, which means the lower leg twists inward while the quadriceps tendon pulls the patella outward. A tight hamstring, tight heel cords and tight quadriceps also contribute to the problem.

Young people who develop this kind of chronic knee pain can usually blame trauma or overuse; if this type of chronic knee pain appears in someone older, this person may also have osteoarthritis.

More Symptoms of Chronic Knee Pain Due to Chondromalacia

This kind of chronic knee pain usually presents itself as a dull pain around or under the kneecap, and it can worsen when engaging in any of these activities:

Walking up or down stairs can worsen chronic knee pain.
Walking on a hill can increase the intensity of your chronic knee pain.
Taking part in any activity that forces the knee to bear weight as it’s straightened can add to your chronic knee pain.
Running and sports activities can also cause more chronic knee pain and trauma.

Relieve and Prevent Chronic Knee Pain From Chondromalacia

This type of chronic knee pain can be treated with rest and ice to reduce swelling.

In addition, doctors recommend the following to help ease your chronic knee pain:

Engaging in low impact exercises that strengthen muscles, particularly within the quadriceps, can ease chronic knee pain.
Swimming, riding a stationary bike or engaging in other low-impact exercises can help relieve chronic knee pain.
Stretching and strengthening the hamstrings and quadriceps can help alleviate chronic knee pain relief.
Using a knee brace provides stable relief from chronic knee pain.
Wearing shoes with added arch supports, especially during exercise or walking, is crucial to treating chronic knee pain.
Taking over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs can help relieve chronic knee pain and swelling.
Wear orthotics on the advice of your physician.

Chronic knee pain can be serious if left untreated, so talk to your doctor about the best way to help you find relief. Surgery is one last option that may need to be discussed.

Information on foot, leg and lower body health conditions like chronic knee pain provided by The Podiatry Institute, dedicated to advancing the standard of care in podiatric medicine and its effects on muscoskeletal health.