December 17, 2025
How to Prevent and Treat Knee Pain and Injuries from Running: Runner's Knee and IT Band Syndrome with Kam Harder
Everyday UltraAbout this episode
Knee pain is one of the most common issues runners deal with — and also one of the most misunderstood. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Kameron Harder (DPT) of Ridge Athletics to break down why knee injuries happen in runners , how to treat them correctly , and what you can do right now to prevent them from coming back. We specifically dive into the two most common knee issues runners face: Runner’s Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome) IT Band Syndrome If you’ve ever dealt with pain around the kneecap, sharp pain on the outside of the knee, or been told to “just stop running,” this episode will completely change how you think about knee injuries. In this episode, we cover: Whether running is actually bad for your knees (and what the research really says) Why knee pain is usually a signal , not an injury The biggest mistakes runners make when treating knee pain Why strength training — not rest — is often the missing piece The role your hips play in both runner’s knee and IT band issues What you can run through safely vs. when you should modify training Why foam rolling your IT band doesn’t work (and what to do instead) How to prevent knee pain from becoming a recurring cycle This is the first episode in a monthly injury-prevention series designed to help runners stay healthy, consistent, and durable — so you can keep training and racing without constantly being sidelined. If knee pain has ever limited your running — or you want to make sure it never does — this episode is a must-listen. SHOW NOTES: Register for our race, The Desert Peak Ultra 100K + 50K at desertpeakultra.com Want to work with me to crush your next ultramarathon in our group coaching program? Sign up for our group coaching program here: https://www.theeverydayultra.com/group-coaching Want to be coached by me and my team to crush your next ultramarathon in our 1:1 coaching program? Book a free call here with one of our coaches to see if we are a good fit! Follow Joe on IG: https://www.instagram.com/joecorcione/ Everyday Ultra YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUelKGeptWZivD6yRIDiupg Try HYPERLYTE Liquid Performance running nutrition and get 15% off your order when you use code EVERYDAYULTRA at www.hyperlyteliquidperformance.com Try CurraNZ to boost recovery and performance and get 15% off your first order with code EVERYDAYULTRAPOD at www.curranzusa.com Get your FREE TrainingPeaks account to track, plan, and analyze your training easier at trainingpeaks.com/everydayultra Try PlayOn Pain Relief Spray at playonrelief.com Try Bear Butt Wipes and get 10% off your order with code EVERYDAYULTRA at bearbuttwipes.com Try Janji apparel and get 10% off your order with code EVERYDAYULTRA at Janji.com Book a call with Kam to see if 1:1 strength coaching is a good fit: https://link.remotecoaching.app/widget/bookings/ridgeathleticsaz Get Kam’s strength and mobility program: https://go.ridgeathleticsaz.com/strength-program Kam’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/ridgeathleticsaz/