Knee Pain Ruining Your Spring Running?

A Great Lakes Spine & Sport Patient Testimonial

Here’s how Emily overcame knee pain to run at her best:

After a long Michigan winter, Emily was finally ready to get back to running. The sun was out, the trails were dry, and she couldn’t wait to move again. But a mile into her first run of the season, her right knee started nagging her. Sharp, tight, achy—it was hard to describe.

She started wondering:
“Is this my IT band? Knee arthritis? A muscle strain?”
She wasn’t sure what to do.

Like most people, she tried rest, ice, Advil, and stretching. It helped temporarily, but the pain kept coming back and started throwing off her stride.

That’s when she called us at Great Lakes Spine & Sport. We took the time to listen and assess what was going on. Turns out, Emily had a mix of issues that we commonly see in runners:

- Mechanical pain—her knee mechanically wasn’t moving efficiently, affecting flexibility, strength, and creating pain.
 

 - A sensitive tendon that needed progressive loading to rebuild strength and resilience, and regenerative therapy to quickly jumpstart healing.

- Mobility and stability issues in her hips and ankles, shifting force to her knees.

Once we identified the real cause, we built a plan tailored to her body. A combination of movement correction, strength progression, and regenerative therapy got her back on track—literally.

Now? Emily’s running pain-free, feeling strong, confident, and finally excited for the miles ahead.

If you’re dealing with knee pain and aren’t sure what it even is—you’re not alone. Most people guess, and it delays real progress.

Let us help you get clear answers, and a plan that works.

You can book a free discovery visit to learn what’s driving your knee pain, ask questions, and see if you would be a good fit for our approach.

https://greatlakesspineandsport.janeapp.com

Here’s to strong strides and pain-free miles,
Dr. Rob and Dr. Christian
Great Lakes Spine & Sport