Pain at the front of the knee which comes on gradually over a period of time is often termed anterior knee pain. A more appropriate term is patellofemoral pain syndrome. This condition is common in teenage girls and women, although can also occur in men. A common sign noticed by walkers is pain that is only evident when walking down hill or steps.

Patellofemoral pain syndromeis thought to be caused by a number of biomechanical (movement) abnormalities and muscle imbalances. These cause the patella (knee cap) to move too far to the outside of the joint when bending the knee. If repeated over and over, this can cause damage to the cartilage on the back surface of the knee cap.

Treatment of this condition relies on correcting the underlying causes. In many cases, these include:

• Tight lateral knee structures (such as Vastus Lateralis and the lateral retinaculum (fascia))
• Weak medial knee muscles (Vastus Medialis)
• Weak hip abductor muscles (outer hip muscles such as Gluteus Medius)
• Tight groin muscles
• Overpronation (where the foot rolls in and arch collapses)
• High Q angle (angle between the patella tendon and the Rectus Femoris muscle) - often caused by wider hips and so more prominant in females.

Correcting these problems can be a long-term effort, using a rehabilitation program to strengthen those weak muscles and stretch the tight ones! Other corrections, such as the use of arch support insoles can be much more easily achieved.

To find out more about rehabilitating patellofemoral pain, visit sportsinjuryclininc.net