Short-term remedy for runner's knee?

You need to do strengthening exercises. Google patellofemoral pain syndrome and look up some excercises. What helped me the most though was one my physical therapist gave me. Hold a rolled up towel securely between your knees and extend your leg (one at a time) repeating until you can't do it anymore. That helped so much with the pain. Same with leg lifts and squats with an exercise ball.

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Glucosamine

You should be able to find a band for under 15, just did a quick search and there were several and some as cheap as 12. Find something else you need and get the price to as close as you can get to 25 and get the free shipping. They work but as a tool to assist with recovery not a long term fix. Also they really only work if the mistracking of your knee cap is below the knee not above. Make sure you are stretching your quads, hamstrings, calves and IT bands everyday. If you have not been you can do it 2 or 3 times a day while you start loosening and stretching the muscle. Runners knee is caused because one of those muscle groups is causing your knee cap not to ride correctly in the groove in the top of your knee. It gets a little off track, starts rubbing causing inflammation (thats the pain you feel). I have worked through it myself so i know what you are going through. Stretch stretch stretch, you cant stretch enough but you can stretch to hard so be careful. Over the years i have found its best for me to stretch those particular muscles every time i take a shower, all can be done standing up and when you get a routine down can be done in 3 minutes or less.

There are two issues involved with treating this type of injury. Yes, longer-term you need to correct the biomechanical conditions/muscle imbalances/training mistakes that caused the injury.

However, you first need to treat the immediate symptoms and inflammation. Sometimes that can be accomplished with home treatment, but sometimes that is not enough. There are sometimes things that a physical therapist can do to allow you to maintain some type of program. If the inflammation is bad enough or persistent enough, you may not be able to treat it yourself.

Bands or braces, even if they do work, will just mask the problem, not help it. They should only be used in this case under the care of a therapist as part of an overall program.

ATT949: I think you misread my post - I AM taking care of the house. I will have health insurance starting Sept. 1st. I have to suck it up until then. It seems a bit soon to run to the doctor anyway; I would give it a few more days even if I had insurance.

Thanks again, all...

You're right - I did misread your post. It reads "I can't avoid…" and I skipped over the "can't". Thanks for correcting me.

Good luck with your knee.

It sounds like you need new shoes. If you've had your shoes for a long time, and you weren't fitted for them (not everyone needs motion control shoes), chances are you're in the wrong kind and they've broken down to the point of causing pain. Also, the incline could have caused it. I tweaked one of my knees a few weeks ago when I was going up a particularly steep hill.

I totally get the unemployed/lack of funds part, so I would suggest taking a break, RICE (no heat), heal up, get new shoes, and start again. Otherwise, you could make it far worse in the long run. Take a few days off and start back with the elliptical and walking without the crazy incline. If, after a few days' rest, you are still in pain, definitely see the doctor.

Rule of thumb from my former coach: Anything that affects your ability to walk (or lasts for more than a few days) is an injury, not just soreness.

Best of luck!