Running is a common hobby for people who want to keep their bodies fit & healthy and is one of the simplest ways to stay active, but repetitive movement can sometimes place extra stress on the knees, hips, and surrounding muscles. For some runners, this may lead to a familiar ache around the kneecap, tightness through the hips, or discomfort that gets worse during or after a run.
Runner’s knee and hip pain can be frustrating, particularly when you are trying to maintain your training routine. The good news is that understanding the factors contributing to your pain and addressing them early can help support better movement and recovery.
At Prime Health Co, our approach focuses on assessing how your body moves, identifying areas that may be contributing to discomfort, and developing an individualized treatment plan to help you move more comfortably and stay active.

What Is a Runner's Knee?
“Runner’s knee” is a common term used to describe pain around or behind the kneecap. It is often associated with running, but similar symptoms can occur with activities such as cycling, jumping, squatting, hiking, or repeated stair climbing.
You may notice:
Pain around the front of the knee
Discomfort when running downhill or on stairs
Pain after sitting for long periods
Aching during squats or bending the knee
Stiffness or irritation around the kneecap
Symptoms that become more noticeable as training volume increases
A runner's knee does not always come from the knee alone. The way your hips, pelvis, ankles and feet move can influence how load is distributed through the leg during running.

How Can Hip Pain Be Connected to Runner’s Knee?
The hip plays an important role in controlling the position and movement of the leg while you run. If the muscles and joints around the hip are not functioning efficiently, the knee may experience additional stress.
For example, reduced hip strength, limited mobility, changes in running load, or poor movement control may contribute to discomfort throughout the lower limb.
This is why simply focusing on the painful knee may not always address the bigger picture.
A comprehensive assessment looks at the relationship between the hip, pelvis, knee, ankle and foot, rather than treating the painful area in isolation.

Common Causes of Knee and Hip Pain in Runners
There is rarely one single reason why a runner develops pain. Several factors can contribute, including:

Sudden Increases in Training
Increasing your distance, speed, hills, or number of running sessions too quickly can place additional stress on tissues that have not had enough time to adapt.

Repetitive Loading
Running involves thousands of repeated movements. Small movement or load-management issues can become more noticeable over time, particularly when recovery is limited.

Muscle Tightness or Weakness
Changes in strength, flexibility or muscle coordination around the hips and legs may affect how force is absorbed and transferred during running.

Changes in Running Technique
Alterations in stride, cadence, footwear or running surface can change the way your body responds to each step.

Previous Injuries
A previous ankle, knee, hip or lower-back injury may influence movement patterns and contribute to recurring symptoms.

Inadequate Recovery
Sleep, training frequency, recovery days and overall workload can all affect how well your body adapts to exercise.

How Chiropractic in Redland Bay May Help
When knee or hip pain is affecting your running, the first step is understanding what may be contributing to your symptoms.

Chiropractic in Redland Bay can form part of a broader approach to managing musculoskeletal pain by assessing movement, joint function and surrounding soft tissues.
At Prime Health Co, treatment may be tailored to your symptoms, activity level and goals. Depending on your assessment, this may include hands-on chiropractic techniques, soft tissue treatment and other appropriate therapies.
The goal is not simply to chase the area that hurts. Instead, treatment aims to support better movement and help you return to the activities that matter to you.

What Happens During a Chiropractic Assessment?
Your first appointment typically starts with a discussion about your symptoms, training routine, previous injuries, and what you want to achieve.
Your chiropractor may then assess areas such as:

Hip and pelvic movement
Knee mobility
Ankle and foot function
Muscle flexibility and tension
Lower-back and spinal movement
Squatting, walking or other relevant movements
Factors that may be affecting your running pattern

This process helps build a clearer picture of how your symptoms are developing.
For runners, the details matter. Two people can experience similar knee pain but have very different contributing factors, which is why an individualized approach can be useful.

Treatment Options for Active Runners
There is no single treatment that suits every runner. Your care should be based on your presentation, symptoms and goals.
Depending on your needs, treatment may incorporate chiropractic care alongside soft tissue techniques or other therapies available at Prime Health Co.

Chiropractic Care in Redland Bay
Chiropractic treatment may be used to address areas of musculoskeletal dysfunction and support improved movement.

Soft Tissue Treatment
Soft tissue techniques can be incorporated when muscle tension or restricted soft tissue movement is contributing to discomfort or limiting movement.

Dry Needling
Dry needling may be considered as part of an individualized treatment plan where appropriate, particularly when addressing muscular tension and associated movement restrictions.

Shockwave Therapy
For selected musculoskeletal conditions, shockwave therapy may also be considered as part of a broader treatment approach following assessment.

Should You Stop Running?
Not every case of runner’s knee or hip pain means you need to stop all activity.
In some situations, modifying your training may be more appropriate than completely stopping. This could involve temporarily reducing distance, running frequency, hills or speed while your symptoms settle.
The right approach depends on the severity and cause of your symptoms.
Trying to push through increasing pain can sometimes make recovery more difficult, particularly when the underlying issue has not been addressed.
A personalized plan can help you understand what activities are appropriate and how to work towards your usual training level gradually.

How to Reduce the Risk of Recurring Knee and Hip Pain
Once your symptoms improve, maintaining good movement and sensible training habits can help support your return to running.
Consider:

Increase training gradually: Avoid making large changes to distance or intensity in a short period.
Pay attention to recovery: Rest and recovery are important parts of a training program.
Strengthen the supporting muscles: Building strength around the hips, legs, and core can help improve overall movement capacity.
Do not ignore persistent pain: Occasional post-run soreness is different from pain that repeatedly returns or progressively worsens.
Vary your training: Balancing running with appropriate strength and mobility work can help build resilience.

When Should You Seek Professional Help?
It is worth seeking professional assessment when knee or hip pain:
Keeps returning every time you run
Gradually becomes more painful
Changes the way you walk or run
Interferes with everyday activities
Does not improve with appropriate rest and load modification
Stops you from participating in exercise you normally enjoy
An assessment can help determine whether the problem is appropriate for conservative care or whether further investigation is needed.

Running Pain Should Not Become Your New Normal
Whether you are training for an event, running recreationally around Redland Bay or simply trying to stay active, ongoing knee or hip pain can quickly become a major obstacle.Understanding the factors behind your symptoms is an important part of getting back to running confidently.

At Prime Health Co, Redland Bay Chiropractic care is focused on helping people move better, manage musculoskeletal pain and stay active through personalized care.
If runner’s knee, hip pain or another running-related issue is interfering with your training, an individual assessment can help you better understand what may be contributing to your symptoms and what steps may support your recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions
Can chiropractic care help with runner’s knee?
Chiropractic care may form part of a broader management plan for runner’s knee, particularly when movement restrictions, joint dysfunction or surrounding soft tissue issues are contributing to symptoms.

Can hip problems cause knee pain when running?
Hip and knee movement are closely connected during running. Issues affecting strength, mobility, or movement control around the hip may influence how load is transferred through the leg.

Do I need to stop running if my knee hurts?
Not necessarily. Depending on the cause and severity of your symptoms, modifying your training may be more appropriate than completely stopping.

How long does a runner's knee take to improve?
Recovery time varies depending on the underlying cause, duration of symptoms, training demands and how well the contributing factors are managed.

Is chiropractic treatment suitable for runners?
Chiropractic care can be used as part of musculoskeletal care for active people and runners. Your treatment plan should be tailored to your symptoms, movement needs and activity goals.