Patellofemoral Syndrome – a common cause of knee pain

Patellofemoral syndrome, also known “Runner’s Knee” and “Jumper’s Knee”, is a painful condition that affects the front of the knee. And you don’t even have to be a runner to experience it! 

Symptoms include:

• pain above and around the kneecap
• pain on the side of the kneecap
• discomfort when using stairs, doing exercise with impact or rising from a seated position

It’s a pain that usually comes on gradually, but once it’s there, it certainly likes to hang around! 

As there can be many different causes of patellofemoral pain, one of the first steps is to assess the knee joint to see what is causing YOUR patellofemoral pain. Then treating it accordingly.

Soft Tissue therapy can help the symptoms of patellofemoral pain by deloading the muscles around the kneecap that are creating extra tension and pain on the joint.  This helps to relieve pain, improve your function and allow you to use the knee again. Treatment then aims to rebalance the muscles around your kneecap, so the pain doesn’t return when you return to activity.

As an OT, I also work to address any underlying issues that could be contributing to your knee pain, including looking at your biomechanics (aka how you’re moving), the alignment of your kneecap, exercise and running technique and any underlying muscle weaknesses.

You don’t have to stop doing what you love doing just because you have a sore knee. By getting on top of the injury, you can get back to doing the things you enjoy – pain free.

If you’re suffering from knee pain or know someone who is, feel free to get in touch with me. You can also book directly online for an appointment by using the online booking option.