Patello-Femoral (Anterior Knee) Pain

Patello-Femoral (Anterior Knee) Pain

Pain at the front of the knee is a very common problem particularly amongst young, sporty children, runners and cyclists. It has a number of causes; tight thigh muscles, pronating or flat feet and poor tracking of the patella or kneecap. This means that the back of the patella doesn’t glide smoothly in its groove on the thigh bone. The pain is aggravated by prolonged bending of the knee such as cycling and going up or down stairs and relieved by straightening the knee.

What can Petersfield Physio do to help Patello-Femoral Pain?

As this problem is often caused by flat feet we always look at the feet to see if orthotics may help support the arches. K Tape is very helpful in taking the pressure off the patella and it can be used during sport without restricting movement. Muscle stretches and deep soft tissue massage help to release tight muscles and use of a foam roller (painful but very effective!) will maintain the muscles in optimum condition.