You have indicated that you have an outside knee injury

Below are some specific descriptions of symptoms related to a running outside knee injury or outside knee pain.

Decide which description most closely matches the outside knee problem you are experiencing then click on
the button next to it. You will be presented with a likely diagnosis for your outside knee injury and advice as to
what to do.

You can diagnose other running injuries here.

  • Step 1
  • Step 2
  • Step 3 - current step
  • Step 4

Click on the description that most closely matches your symptoms:

Symptom 1

Select symptom
  • Pain on the outer surface or the back of the shin, about 2 inches below the knee joint.
  • The bony prominence in this area on the outside of the knee (the head of the fibula bone) may be more obvious on the affected leg, compared with the other side.
  • Movement of the ankle may increase the pain.
  • Running is painful, although it may improve the longer you run, only to return at the end.
  • It often feels like it needs to be stretched, but is difficult to do.

Symptom 2

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  • Pain and tenderness on the outside of the knee at the same level as the lower edge of the kneecap.
  • Pain on running, particularly uphill and downhill.
  • Usually there is no swelling.
  • When you bend your knee a little and exert pressure onto the inside of the knee joint this may recreate the symptoms, or if you cross the affected leg over the other one and push the knee down towards the floor, which stretches the ligament.
  • An acute episode can be caused by a sudden twisting of the knee, but often people with bow legs, or who run continuously on a camber, or have a gait problem can suffer a chronic insidious pain.

Symptom 3

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  • Deep aching pain in the knee, especially with movement.
  • Knee may be swollen.
  • Stiffness in the knee, particularly in the morning, which decreases as you start to move around and warm up.
  • You may have pain at night.
  • A crunching or grinding sound as you bend your knees whilst standing.
  • Symptoms develop slowly over time.
  • The knee does not show a full range of movement, either with bending or straightening, and may be painful at the end of range of the movements.
  • You may have noticed that you are starting to limp, and favour the other leg.
  • The affected knee may be larger than the other (regardless of any swelling).

Symptom 4

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  • Pain on the outside of the knee at about the level of the kneecap.
  • Tightness and tenderness at points along the outside of the upper leg between the hip and the knee.
  • Pain is aggravated by running, particularly downhill.
  • Pain can occur during bending or straightening of the knee, particularly whilst pressing into the side of the knee over the sore part (this increases the friction on the tendon).
  • Tenderness may also be present in the buttock on the problematic side.
  • You may have suddenly increased your training, or be running on a camber, or just one way around a track, which puts excessive pressure on the outside of the knee, or you may have faulty mechanics which need to be assessed.