When Your Knees Need Help
What a Counter-Force Strap Can Do to Treat Knee Tendinitis
By Joe Kolb
As featured in the October 1999 issue of Running Times Magazine
The nagging pain associated with tendinitis around the knee can be both physically and emotionally demoralizing for a runner. Training and competitive performances are likely to wane. Secondary injuries to the surrounding joints and the spine from compensating for the injured area may also appear. Often a vicious cycle of pain and disability sets in. One ally in the fight against this frustrating scenario is the use of a counter-force strap. You may have noticed this tourniquet-resembling device on a fellow runner’s knee or seen a magazine advertisement and wondered what it is and how this simple contraption could provide relief. Understanding the reasons for wearing a counter-force strap (or any other external-support device) can save you money, time and frustration, while increasing your chances of a successful recovery from injury.
Tendinitis and the Knee Area
Tendinitis is a chronic inflammatory condition of the tendons, the fibrous structures that attach muscles to bones. In runners, the condition often affects the tendons surrounding the knee, such as the patella tendon and the iliotibial band.
In most runners who develop tendinitis the problem results from overuse rather than trauma to the area, as might be seen in a football or soccer player. Determining the root cause of knee tendinitis can be tedious. Many runners deny knee problems for a long time, especially if they’ve been running for years without ever having a knee injury. "Why me? Why now?" is the common response. Well, the fact is, overuse injuries sneak up on you.
It’s possible you recently increased the distance or intensity of your training or shifted some of your running to another surface (roads to uneven trails, for example). Or you may have worn a pair of shoes too long without replacement. And if you’re like most runners, you ignored the early warning signs of a problem, such as mild or fleeting pain and stiffness.
Causes of Knee Tendinitis
The patella tendon attaches the quadriceps to the tibia (shin bone). Patella tendon problems usually result from the repetitive stress of running, combined with such factors as poor alignment of the patella tendon and the patella, or anatomical characteristics such as over-pronation, "knock knees," poor flexibility of the quadriceps and hamstrings and weak quadriceps. All these conditions can cause the patella tendon to track incorrectly and become irritated and inflamed as a result.