I Have an ACL Injury and My Knee Hurts When I Run

Knee pain when you run after an ACL injury can show up with each stride because the injured knee has difficulty tolerating repeated movement and stress.

Running can make an ACL-injured knee feel very different from simply walking around. You may feel pain as your foot hits the ground, when you push off into the next stride, or when the knee bends and straightens repeatedly. The knee may also feel less secure than usual, making each step feel more cautious or uncomfortable.

You may notice that the pain becomes more obvious the longer you run rather than appearing with the very first step. Repeated strides give the knee little time to settle between movements, so soreness, weakness, or a feeling of instability can become easier to notice as the run continues.

Pain Starts With Each Running Stride

Your knee may hurt when your foot lands and your body moves into the next stride.

Running creates a quick sequence of bending, landing, and pushing off that can make an ACL-injured knee feel painful or uncertain. You may notice a sharper sensation with landing or a deeper ache as you straighten the knee and move forward.

Your Knee Feels Worse As The Run Continues

The pain may become harder to ignore after several minutes of running.

You might start out feeling reasonably comfortable and then notice your knee becoming sore, tired, or less steady as the miles add up. When the knee has not fully recovered, repeated running can keep the area stressed and leave you more uncomfortable afterward.

Why Your Knee Hurts During Running

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 run after an ACL injury?

Running repeatedly bends, lands, and straightens your knee, which can make an ACL-injured knee painful, weak, or unstable.

Can running make knee pain worse after an ACL injury?

Yes. Repeated running can keep stressing the injured knee and make pain or soreness more noticeable as the activity continues.

Why does my knee feel worse after running with an ACL injury?

Your knee may become sore or tired after repeated strides when it has not fully recovered from the ACL injury.

Should I run if my knee hurts after an ACL injury?

If running causes significant or worsening knee pain, instability, or swelling, stop and have your knee evaluated before continuing.

Can an ACL injury cause knee weakness while running?

Yes. An ACL injury can leave your knee feeling weak or less secure during the repeated bending, landing, and pushing off involved in running.

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.