Australian Rules football is a very physical sport.  Tackles are hard for both sides, games are played at an incredible pace and the season is long in terms of the effect on the human body.  Whilst many of the injuries which occur are a result of specific match incidents, there are a number of injuries and problems which occur through regular exercise and as such are far more preventable than others.

For those of you who like to sound clever during pub quizzes, Runner's Knee is the common term for Ilio Tibial Band Friction Syndrome (ITBFS).  It happens when the knee is used a lot through running (which tends to happen playing AFL), resulting in pain on the outside of the knee joint which can go up the thigh and down the shin as well.

While Runners Knee can be treated initially, often it will keep coming back to haunt you as it is merely a symptom of another problem, such as your posture or body alignment.  

If you think you have Runners Knee the first thing you should do is speak with a physiotherapist.  More and more clubs are getting these experts on board, but even if your club hasn’t got a friendly physio there are plenty of others out there – Google is your friend here.  

If you are going to do something about it yourself you should start by applying ice to the knee joint.  As it is inflamed this should help to reduce the swelling, getting rid of a fair bit of the pain straight off.  When any swelling has gone down you should try to look at how you stand or run.  Ask your coach (or a physio – can you see a pattern to these messages occurring yet?!) to check out your action and see how it might be changed to put less stress on your knees.  You might even find that a knee brace helps to support your knee joint, although this isn’t true for everyone.  Try one out for a bit, but only after looking at your posture and running style.