What is Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome?
Patellofemoral pain syndrome is the medical name for pain that you feel behind your knee cap. This is one of the most common knee problems for sports people and elderly. The joint where your kneecap articulates with your thigh bone is know as the Petellofemoral joint. Patellofemoral can also be from poor kneecap alignment which can in time affect the joint surface behind the kneecap.
Read below for more information about Patellofemoral Pain:
What Causes Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome?
Your patella normally glides up and down through the femoral groove. As your knee is bent, pressure between your kneecap and the groove increases.
This retropatellar pressure is further increased if the patella does not ride normally through the groove, but “mistracks”, meaning it travels more to one side, making it rub against the femur.
Repeated trauma causes an increase in your retropatellar joint forces, which can lead to kneecap pain, joint irritation and eventually degeneration of your patella joint surface.
The most common causes of patellar malalignment are an abnormal muscle imbalance and poor bio-mechanical control.
Aching kneecaps (patellofemoral pain) affect 25% of the population at some time in their lives but it is more common in athletes. The sports where patellofemoral pain syndrome is typically seen are those when running, jumping and landing or the squatting position is required.
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome Treatment:
Researchers have confirmed that physiotherapy intervention is a very effective short and long-term solution for kneecap pain. Approximately 90% of patello-femoral syndrome sufferers will be pain-free within six weeks of starting a physiotherapist guided rehabilitation program for patellofemoral pain syndrome. For those who fail to respond, surgery may be required to repair associated injuries such as severely damaged or arthritic joint surfaces. The aim of treatment is to reduce your pain and inflammation in the short-term and, then more importantly, correct the cause to prevent it returning in the long-term.
Phase 1 – Injury Protection: Pain Relief & Anti-inflammatory Tips
As with most soft tissue injuries the initial treatment is – Rest, Ice and Protection.
(Active) Rest: In the early phase your best to avoid all activities that induce your kneecap pain.
Ice: is a simple and effective modality to reduce your pain and swelling. Please apply for 20-30 minutes each 2 to 4 hours during the initial phase or when you notice that your injury is warm or hot.
Protection: Your physiotherapist will normally apply kinesiology supportive taping or similar to help relieve your pain and commence your patellofemoral joint realignment phase. The patellofemoral taping is normally immediately effective in providing you with pain relief.
Your physiotherapist will utilise a range of helpful tricks including pain relieving techniques, joint mobilisations, massage, strapping and acupuncture to assist you during this painful phase.
Anti-inflammatory medication: and natural creams such as arnica may help reduce your pain and swelling. Most people can tolerate paracetamol as a pain reliever.
Phase 2: Regain Full Range of Passive Motion:
Your kneecap and knee must be able to glide through its full normal range of motion. Your physiotherapist will assess your motion and apply the necessary techniques to normalise your range of motion.
Phase 3: Restore Full Muscle Length:
Your thigh, hamstring and calf muscles will require stretching is they are tight and are causing excessive tension or pressure on your kneecap. It is important to regain normal muscle length to improve your lower limb biomechanics.
Phase 4: Normalise Quadriceps Muscle Balance:
n order to prevent a recurrence, your quadriceps muscle balance and its control should be assessed by your physiotherapist. In most instances you will require a specific knee strengthening program.
Your physiotherapist will prescribe the best exercises for you.
Phase 5: Normalise Foot & Hip Biomechanics:
Patellofemoral pain syndrome can occur from poor foot biomechanics (eg flat foot) or poor hip control. In order to prevent a recurrence, your foot and hip control should be assessed by your physiotherapist. In some instances you may require a foot orthotic (shoe insert) or you may be a candidate for the Active Foot Posture Stabilisation program.
Other patient may require a hip stabilisation program. Your physiotherapist will happily discuss what you require.
Phase 6: Normalise Movement Patterns:
Kneecap pain commonly occurs from poor habits, whether they be an abnormal gait, jumping, landing, running or squatting technique. In order to prevent a recurrence, your walking pattern, jumping and landing technique, running style or squatting method should all be assessed and corrected as required.
Your physiotherapist will happily discuss what you specifically require.
Phase 7: Restore High Speed, Power, Proprioception and Agility:
Most kneecap pain sufferers need to return to high speed or repetition activities, which place enormous forces on your knee. Your physiotherapist will guide you in your return to sport planning.
Balance and proprioception (the sense of the relative position of neighbouring parts of the body) are both known to be adversely affected by patellofemoral pain. To prevent a re-aggravation, both aspects need to be assessed and retrained.
Depending on what your sport or lifestyle entails, a speed, agility, proprioception and power program will be customised to prepare you for light sport-specific training.
Phase 8: Return to Sport:
If you play sport, and depending on the demands of your chosen sport, you may require specific sport-specific exercises and a progressed training regime to enable a safe and injury-free return to your chosen sport.
Your physiotherapist will discuss your goals, time frames and training schedules with you to optimise you for a complete and safe return to sport. The perfect outcome will have you performing at full speed, power, agility and function with the added knowledge that a through rehabilitation program has minimised your chance of future injury.
Link to the original article: www.physioworks.com.au