What is Runner's Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)?

Runners Knee is a condition characterized by pain behind or around the kneecap. Poor kneecap tracking is believed to be the main cause this condition. The kneecap (patella) slides over a groove on the thighbone (femur) as your knee bends and straightens. If, for example, the front thigh muscles (quadriceps) are weak or imbalanced, the resulting muscle imbalance can pull the kneecap to the left or right of the groove, causing pressure, friction, and irritation to the cartilage on the undersurface of the kneecap when the knee is in motion.
Runner's knee isn't really a condition itself. It's a loose term for several specific disorders with different causes. Runner's knee can result from:

Overuse. Repeated bending of the knee can irritate the nerves of the kneecap. Overstretched tendons (tendons are the tissues that connect muscles to bones) may also cause the pain of runner's knee.
Direct trauma to the knee, like a fall or blow.

Management: Medical
A.Relative rest
-Avoid squats and lunges
-Reduce Running mileage to painless distance
-Cross-train with biking, swimming, eliptical trainer
B.Pain relief
-NSAIDs (variable efficacy)eg. Mefenamic Acid, Ibuprofen, Naproxen etc.
-Ice Therapy
C. Patellofemoral Knee Exercises
D. Quadriceps strengthening
E.Lower extremity Stretching Exercises
1.Quadriceps Stretching
2.Quadriceps strengthening
a.Do not load knee at more than 45 degrees flexion
3.Hamstring stretches
4.Iliotibial Band stretches
5.Ankle stretches
F.Shoe modifications
-Replace excessively worn Running Shoes
G.Avoid provocative factors
1.Limit weight on a flexed knee
2.Consider cross-training activity
3.Reduce mileage and pace
4.Avoid uphill and downhill Running
H.Patellar Taping (inconsistent evidence of benefit)

Please watch the video from Shine at Yahoo.com by Susan Rinkunas that would help prevent runners knee

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYt4AC9cn7c&feature=player_embedded
Susan Rinkunas is an associate editor at Runner’s World, a magazine (and website) that informs, advises, and motivates runners of all ages and abilities—and we mean it. Her blog on Yahoo! Shine offers tips on running technique, nutrition and weight loss, shoes and apparel, and balancing fitness and life.

Hand ,Foot and Mouth Disease

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) is a viral illness with a distinct clinical presentation of oral and characteristic distal extremity lesions. Most commonly, the etiologic agents are coxsackieviruses, members of the Picornaviridae family.
HFMD is a common viral illness of infants and children. The disease causes fever and blister-like eruptions in the mouth and/or a skin rash. HFMD is often confused with foot-and-mouth (also called hoof-and-mouth) disease, a disease of cattle, sheep, and swine; however, the two diseases are not related—they are caused by different viruses. Humans do not get the animal disease, and animals do not get the human disease.
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) is more severe in infants and children than adults, but generally, the disease has a mild course. Symptoms such as malaise, low-grade fever, and anorexia are often present. Occasionally, patients have high fever, marked malaise, diarrhea, and arthralgias.

Infection is spread from person to person by direct contact with infectious virus. Infectious virus is found in the nose and throat secretions, saliva, blister fluid, and stool of infected persons. The virus is most often spread by persons with unwashed, virus-contaminated hands and by contact with virus-contaminated surfaces. The viruses that cause HFMD can remain in the body for weeks after a patient's symptoms have gone away. This means that the infected person can still pass the infection to other people even though he/she appears well. Also, some persons who are infected and excreting the virus, including most adults, may have no symptoms.

Usually, no medical care is necessary for hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD).The topical application of anesthetics is beneficial. Viscous lidocaine, dyclonine solution, or diphenhydramine (Benadryl) may be used to treat painful oral ulcers. Antipyretics may be used to manage fever, and analgesics may be used to treat arthralgias.