How to Manage Knee Pain from High-Impact Activities

If you love high-impact activities like running, jumping, CrossFit, martial arts, or competitive sports, you probably know what knee pain feels like. For some, it’s a dull ache after a long run. For others, it’s a sharp pain that flares up during squats, box jumps, or takedowns. While high-impact training can keep you strong and conditioned, it also puts a lot of stress on your knees - especially if there are weak links elsewhere in your movement chain.

As a physical therapist, I want you to know that you don’t have to live with knee pain or stop doing what you love. The key is managing your pain smarter, not just “pushing through it.”

🔎 Why High-Impact Movements Hurt the Knees

High-impact activities place repetitive forces on your joints - particularly your knees. But knee pain often isn’t just a “knee problem.” Research shows it’s frequently the result of poor movement mechanics, muscular imbalances, and lack of control in surrounding areas like the hips, ankles, or core.

👉 A 2014 study in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine found that abnormal hip and ankle movement patterns increase patellofemoral joint stress during high-impact tasks like jumping and running (Powers et al., 2014).

Common contributors include:

·        Weak gluteal and hip stabilizer muscles

·        Poor ankle mobility

·        Imbalanced quad vs hamstring strength

·        Tight hip flexors or calves

·        Poor form during repetitive loading (e.g., running, jumping, deep squatting)

✅ When It’s Safe to Keep Training

You don’t necessarily need to stop training just because you’re experiencing knee discomfort. In fact, stopping entirely can make you weaker and more prone to future injury. The key is to modify.

You can usually keep training if:

·        The pain is mild (≤3/10 on a pain scale)

·        There’s no swelling or giving way of the knee

·        It improves with warm-up or gentle movement

·        It doesn’t alter your technique

👉 A 2019 systematic review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that exercise therapy is a first-line treatment for patellofemoral pain, and modifying load, not eliminating it, is key to long-term recovery (Crossley et al., 2019).

🛠️ Smart Strategies to Manage Knee Pain

1. Load Management
Reduce how often, how long, or how intensely you’re doing the aggravating movement. For example, shorten your runs, use lower box jump heights, or scale back your squat depth temporarily.

2. Strengthen the Weak Links
Target the glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves, and core. Research shows that hip and glute strengthening reduces knee stress in runners and athletes.

3. Improve Mobility
Tight hips, quads, and calves can restrict motion and force compensations through the knees. Stretching, foam rolling, and joint mobilizations can reduce joint stress.

4. Focus on Technique
Whether it’s how you land a jump or how your knees track in a squat, small adjustments can drastically reduce joint strain. A PT can assess your mechanics and teach you proper movement patterns.

5. Get a PT Assessment
A thorough evaluation can help pinpoint the real reason your knee hurts. From movement screens to strength testing, we’ll find your weak links and build a plan to keep you active—without causing more damage.

🚩 When to See a Physical Therapist

If your knee pain:

·        Persists beyond a week

·        Worsens with activity

·        Disrupts your ability to train

·        Causes swelling or joint instability

…it’s time to get expert help. Early intervention = faster recovery and fewer long-term issues.

💬 The Bottom Line

You don’t have to choose between your sport and your knees. With the right strategy, you can stay active, reduce pain, and even perform better than before. At Tualatin Valley Physical Therapy, we help active adults train smarter, recover faster, and prevent reinjury without relying on unnecessary imaging, injections, or long rest periods.

Ready to fix your knee pain?
📞 Call or book online. Same-day appointments available!