Kneecap pain - will physio help?

Paul Bellamy is an experienced musculoskeletal physiotherapist located in South Hurstville at Formation Physio. Today he talks about knee pain and how physio can help.

What is patellofemoral pain?

Patellofemoral pain is pain arising from the kneecap and its articulation with the underlying femur. It will often present with a gradual onset of pain due to an increase in load from activities such as squatting, lunging, running or stair climbing.

What causes it?

The biggest risk factor for patellofemoral pain is an increase in load above your usual activity levels. Typically we hear people have recently started or increased their running or increased their weights in the gym which has aggravated the patellofemoral joint. Other factors include

• Muscle weakness

• Muscle imbalances

• Technique

• Anatomy

• Gender

What can be done to improve your symptoms?

Typically resting will significantly improve your symptoms, however this may not change the underlying problem that is causing your pain. Assessment and treatment should focus on 

• Improving your lumbopelvic control

• Gluteus and quadriceps strengthening

• Strengthening other musculature (you can’t go wrong being strong!)

• Technique assessment and improvement

• Range of motion up or down the chain. Check for hip or ankle restrictions that could be causing the knee to compensate

• Education on load management! Avoid increasing load by greater than 5% a week to significantly decrease your risk of injury!

We suggest getting an individual assessment with your physiotherapist to diagnose and prescribe an appropriate treatment plan based on your unique circumstances.

Reference: Willy et al 2019. Patellofemoral Pain Clinical Practice Guidelines