SA’s King of Boston

Knee Pain is dragging Me Down

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I am experiencing a pain in the back of my knee joint. It started just after I did a 48km run. I feel it constantly when I walk or run. – JOHNNY MAKENA 


ANSWER
It is difficult to give you good advice with so little information. Let’s presume it is a tendonitis of your hamstring tendons (especially if the marathon was mostly uphill and you didn’t twist the knee or fall during the race.) This causes your hamstrings and calves to work harder than on downhills or level surfaces.


If you had an underlying imbalance between the flexibility and strength of your hamstrings and quadriceps, it causes the hamstring tendons (tendons are the attachment of muscles to the bone) to overwork and form an inflammatory response. This is probably what’s causing your pain.
 
Icing the area for five minutes followed by heat will promote circulation to the area and alleviate pain. Anti-inflammatories for five days after meals will speed up recovery. A proper stretching and strengthening programme needs to be incorporated into your normal training routine


It is also a good idea to go and see a sport physiotherapist who can loosen the muscular tissue around the back of the knee. Lastly, consult a sports biokineticist for a Cybex test to determine your quadricep/hamstring ratio and retrain it to alleviate an imbalance, if necessary.
 
Modern Athlete Expert
DAVID VAN WYK
Sport physiotherapist with private sport and orthopaedic practices in Elarduspark and Faerie Glen, Pretoria. Member of AS Eagles Running Club, sub-45min 10km runner.

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