Q: I have recently developed knee pain. Can over-pronation in my feet be related?
A: Very possibly, but it depends on what is causing your knee pain. A common knee injury in runners is related to the kneecap or patella. Called, among other things, ‘runner’s knee’, chondromalacia patella or patello-femoral pain, it is associated with incorrect tracking of the patella on the thigh bone (femur). A number of factors can lead to incorrect tracking problems of the patella including quadriceps (thigh) muscle balance, pelvic instability and pronation.
As the subtalar joint (foot) pronates, the leg internally rotates. This reflects the screw like property of the foot joint and also the close relationship between the position of the knee and foot. Try it yourself. Standing comfortably, try to role your feet inwards, into a pronated position. Note that your knees turn in as your feet do. Some inward role is normal during running, but if over-pronation occurs, excessive internal knee rotation can also be evident. When the knee turns in too far, the patella tends to track improperly on the femur and knee pain can occur.
Dr. Nick Brown
Dr. Brown is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at The University of Texas.
