I get knee pain when I run and when I jump. Are those the same injury?

October 24, 2026 · By Dr. Elan Goldwaser

Ask Dr. G

Reader question: "My knee aches on runs and hurts when I jump and land. Are runner's knee and jumper's knee actually different problems?"

The short answer

They are two different problems that happen in almost the same spot, which is why they get mixed up. Runner's knee is pain around or behind the kneecap itself. Jumper's knee is pain in the tendon just below the kneecap. Same neighborhood, different structure, and that difference changes what helps.

Runner's knee: pain around the kneecap

Runner's knee, also called patellofemoral pain, is irritation where the kneecap glides over the thigh bone. It often aches during running, going down stairs, squatting, or sitting a long time with the knee bent. It can feel worse after a sudden jump in mileage, hills, or training intensity.

It is often tied to load and mechanics: too much, too soon, weak hips and quads, or tight calves and hamstrings. That is why it shows up in runners, hikers, and cyclists who just ramped up training.

Jumper's knee: pain in the tendon below the kneecap

Jumper's knee is a tendon problem, known as patellar tendinopathy. The pain sits right at the bottom edge of the kneecap, where the tendon attaches, or along the tendon itself. It tends to hurt most with jumping, landing, sprinting, or going down stairs, and it may be tender to the touch in that one specific spot.

It builds up from repeated tendon loading, especially jumping and landing sports like basketball and volleyball. Unlike a single sudden injury, it usually creeps in over weeks as the tendon gets overloaded faster than it can adapt.

How to tell them apart

Location is your best clue. Pain that feels broad, behind or around the kneecap, and worse with prolonged sitting or stairs, points more toward runner's knee. Pain that is pinpoint, just below the kneecap, tender when you press there, and worst with jumping and landing, points more toward jumper's knee.

Real knees do not always follow the textbook. You can have elements of both, and other problems can mimic either one, so location is a starting clue, not a diagnosis.

What to do

For both, the first step is the same: calm the load down, but do not stop moving altogether. Cut back on the activity that provokes it most, shorten runs, skip the jumping drills for a stretch, and avoid training through sharp pain. Ice after activity can help with soreness in the short term.

Then rebuild strength gradually. Strong quads and hips take pressure off the kneecap, and progressive loading helps a cranky tendon adapt. A physical therapist can set up a program matched to which problem you have, since the right exercises differ.

When to get checked

Get seen promptly if your knee swells a lot, locks or catches, gives way, or you cannot bear weight on it. Also get checked if pain has lasted more than a few weeks despite backing off, keeps coming back, or is getting worse. A clinician can sort out whether it is one of these two problems, something else, or a mix.

The takeaway

Runner's knee is kneecap pain. Jumper's knee is tendon pain just below it. Knowing which spot hurts tells you a lot about what is going on, and both respond best to smart load management and gradual strengthening rather than pushing through.

Have a knee question you'd like covered in a future post? Send it to Ask Dr. G. Reader questions shape what I write next.

For education only - not medical advice.