Runner's knee
An ache around or behind the kneecap that is worse on stairs, squatting, kneeling or after sitting with the knees bent. It is common in runners but just as common in people who have never run, especially after a change in activity. The kneecap joint has been loaded more than it was ready for, and strengthening the hips and thighs is what the evidence supports.
Also called patellofemoral pain, kneecap pain, pain around the kneecap, anterior knee pain.
Does this sound like you?
- Pain around or behind the kneecap rather than at the side of the knee
- Going down stairs or hills is worse than going up
- Aching after sitting with the knees bent, for example in a cinema
- Squatting or kneeling brings it on
This is not a diagnosis. Several things cause pain in the same place, which is why the list below matters.
Check these first: when it is not runner's knee
If any of these apply, get checked before you start the exercises.
- The knee swells, locks or gives way
- It started with a twist or a specific injury
- Pain at night or at rest that does not ease
- A child or teenager with knee pain and a limp, or pain in the hip or groin. Get this seen promptly
The exercises, in the order you would build them up
How long it takes
Most people improve over six to twelve weeks of regular strengthening. Cut back, rather than stop, whatever sets it off: some discomfort while exercising is fine if it has settled by the next day.
What the NHS says
The NHS's own pages on this, to check what you have read here against.
Waiting for an appointment?
Kinehub turns this into a daily plan, adjusts it as you improve or struggle, and keeps the record you hand over when you are finally seen.
Keep reading
More for the knees
- Guide · 7 minKnee pain reliefLoading a sore knee without making it worse — the traffic-light rule, what to modify, and when giving-way or swelling means stop.
- Guide · 4 minThe clamshell, done properlyThe most commonly prescribed glute exercise, and the three mistakes that stop it working.
- Guide · 6 minUnderstanding painWhy hurt does not always mean harm, and why that matters when you are deciding whether to move today.
A daily plan for runner's knee
Kinehub turns these exercises into a short daily session with a demo for each one, and tracks your pain before and after so you can see whether it is working. Free to start.
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