Running is possibly the most popular form of exercise worldwide, with many millions using it regularly as a part of their fitness routine.
Unfortunately, with all the health benefits that come from a regular running routine also comes the increased risk of orthopaedic injury.
In fact, it has been shown that up to 24% of runners will sustain an injury severe enough to cause them to stop running for seven or more days.
Of these injuries, the knee is the most frequently injured region of the body, with anterior knee pain (AKP) being a prevalent diagnosis.
As with any overuse injury, several factors contribute to the development of AKP, such as training errors, biomechanical faults, and anatomical abnormalities.
A new study published in the Journal of Applied Biomechanics reveals that two biomechanical factors that are frequently implicated in the development of AKP are “excessive” and/or “prolonged” pronation.
In this injury paradigm, excessive and/or prolonged pronation are thought to keep the tibia internally rotated as the knee begins to extend, thus disrupting the “screw home mechanism.”