I Have an ACL Injury and My Knee Hurts When I Increase My Running

Your knee hurts when you increase your running after an ACL injury because the faster pace puts more demand on a knee that has not fully regained its normal stability.

You may be able to jog slowly without much trouble, only to notice your knee starting to hurt when you pick up the pace. The pain can show up after a few minutes rather than with your very first step, making it easy to wonder why running faster changes the way your knee feels.

You may notice the pain most when your stride gets longer and quicker, when you accelerate, or when you try to maintain a faster pace. Your knee may also stay sore after the run, particularly if increasing your running distance or speed was more than the knee was ready to handle.

Your Knee Hurts As Your Running Pace Picks Up

The pain may begin when you move from an easy jog into a faster running pace.

You might feel an ache, pressure, or sharper pain around the knee as your stride speeds up. The change in pace asks more from the injured knee, so a level of running that felt manageable at an easier speed may start hurting when you push harder.

Your Knee Stays Sore After You Run Faster

You may finish the run and notice your knee remains sore even after you slow down or stop.

The soreness can become more noticeable later that day or after you have been sitting for a while. If increasing your running repeatedly brings the pain back, the knee may not be getting enough time to settle between harder runs.

Why Your Knee Hurts When Running Faster

Your knee has a hard time healing when blood flow and circulation are limited.

Tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues naturally receive less blood supply than many other parts of the body. Because of this, they often take longer to heal after repeated stress or injury, leaving you more vulnerable to lingering pain and a cycle of reinjury.

When circulation through the area remains limited, injured tissues have a harder time receiving the vital oxygen and nutrients they need to repair and heal. This can leave your knee feeling stiff, tight, weak, or painful during everyday movement and activity.

What Can Help Your Knee Feel Better

Your knee starts feeling better when blood flow and circulation improve.

Chinese herbs have been used for centuries to promote healthy blood flow and circulation. Their medicinal properties help break up stagnant blood and fluids that remain trapped around injured tissues, interfering with circulation. As circulation improves, blood flows more freely through the area, allowing those tissues to receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal properly.

Topical herbal remedies made with these Chinese herbs can help relieve pain while improving blood flow and circulation to injured tissues. The right product depends on your symptoms and whether you're in the acute or chronic stage of recovery.

If you have pain, swelling, inflammation, or bruising, Acute Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by increasing circulation and dispersing stagnant blood and fluids around the injured area to speed recovery. During the acute stage of healing, getting circulation moving early allows injured tissues to receive the fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrients they need to repair and heal.

If your injured area is especially swollen, red, or warm to the touch after a recent injury or flare-up, Sinew Herbal Ice is also used to reduce swelling and inflammation while restoring normal circulation so you can quickly regain range of motion. While traditional ice is commonly used to reduce swelling, Sinew Herbal Ice acts as an ice alternative to reduce swelling and inflammation while also dispersing accumulated blood and fluids to speed the healing process.

If you no longer have swelling or inflammation, but still have pain, stiffness, weakness, or sensitivity in cold and damp weather, Chronic Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by strongly stimulating circulation and increasing blood supply to injured tendons and ligaments to promote their healing. This is especially important because tendons and ligaments naturally receive less blood supply, which is why chronic injuries can take longer to heal.

If you have residual pain and stiffness, or the area becomes more painful in cold weather, Sinew Injury Poultice is also used to significantly stimulate circulation to injured tendons and ligaments to further promote their healing. By strongly increasing circulation, it counteracts the reduced blood flow caused by cold weather that commonly aggravates chronic tendon and ligament injuries.

If you exercise, play sports, or do other strenuous activities, Sinew Sports Massage Oil warms and stimulates muscles for exertion and relieves muscle tightness and soreness after activity. Warming and preparing your muscles before activity can improve flexibility, enhance performance, and reduce the risk of injury.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may also find these commonly asked questions helpful.

Why does my knee hurt when I increase my running after an ACL injury?

Your knee may hurt as you increase your running because the faster pace places greater demands on a knee affected by an ACL injury.

Why does my knee hurt when I run faster but not when I jog slowly?

A faster pace requires more from your injured knee, so pain that is absent during easy jogging may appear when you increase your speed.

Can increasing my running make my ACL-injured knee more painful?

Yes. Increasing your running too quickly can make an ACL-injured knee more painful, particularly when the pace or distance increases significantly.

Should I keep running if my knee hurts when I increase my pace?

If increasing your pace causes knee pain after an ACL injury, reduce or stop the activity and have your knee evaluated before continuing harder running.

When should I have knee pain after an ACL injury evaluated?

Persistent, severe, or worsening pain, especially with swelling, instability, or difficulty bearing weight, should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.

The information provided here is intended to help you better understand your symptoms and recovery, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Persistent, severe, or worsening symptoms should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.