Knee pain (Patellofemoral pain)
Is your knee pain stopping you from squatting, getting up from sitting, ascending/descending stairs or get worse sitting for a long time?
Is the pain located around the front of the knee?
This meets two of the three criteria for the diagnosis of patellofemoral pain. The third criteria requires a clinician such as a Physiotherapist to assess the knee to rule out all other potential structures and pathologies that can also cause similar pain and dysfunction. (1)
Patellofemoral pain is pain that is experienced from the area between the knee cap (patella) and the bone underneath (femur). The knee cap glides against the femur when bending and straightening the knee. It has ligamentous support holding it in position, but is controlled mainly by the four quadriceps muscles. The pain can start either suddenly or have a gradual onset.
Using the most up to date research, Clinical Practice Guidelines (1) were created in 2019 for best practice including assessment and treatment of patellofemoral pain. The document states ‘Exercise therapy is the critical component and should be the focus in any combined intervention approach. Interventions to consider combining with exercise therapy include foot orthoses, patellar taping, patellar mobilizations, and lower-limb stretching’ (1).
For more questions on patellofemoral pain, if you have knee pain or if you are familiar with any of these symptoms, come in for a Free Initial Assessment at Back In Motion, Melbourne On Collins. Our Physiotherapists utilise the most up to date research to provide you with the best treatment.
- J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2019;49(9):CPG1-CPG95. doi:10.2519/jospt.2019.0302
Zoe Rippon
Senior Physiotherapist