Do you ever experience pain in the front of your knee that occurs during or after a sporting activity? Although there are multiple causes that can explain knee pain, a common cause of pain under the kneecap includes a condition called patellofemoral syndrome.
What is patellofemoral syndrome?
Patellofemoral syndrome is characterized by symptoms that originate from the joint in front of the knee, which is located between the kneecap (patella) and the femur. When you bend and extend your knee, the patella slides into the groove at the front of the femur. The quadriceps, the large muscles in the front of the thigh, pass over the patella to attach to the front of the leg.
If we start an activity that involves strong, repeated contractions of the quadriceps, sometimes the resulting compression and friction exceeds the tissue’s capacity to adapt. Thus, the cartilage under the patella can become irritated and patellofemoral syndrome can appear.
What does it look like?
This is a deep knee pain, often in the front, that occurs during or after sporting activity. Symptoms can be felt in different places, for example in the soft tissues around the kneecap.
Who could be affected?
Patellofemoral syndrome mainly occurs in individuals practicing sports that use the quadriceps muscles of the thigh, such as running, jumping or hiking. This syndrome often occurs when there is a change in activities, including the practice of a new sport, a new training surface, an increase in training volume, etc. It can also affect some people during activities of daily living that involve repeated bending and extension of the knees, such as going up and down stairs or during squat movements. People of all ages can suffer from patellofemoral syndrome, but teenage girls are particularly likely to be affected by this syndrome. This could possibly be explained by the physical changes linked to the growth spurt during adolescence, which could lead to certain muscular imbalances in the pelvis and legs.
How can physiotherapy help?
You must first identify the movements or activities that trigger the symptoms in order to properly control the intensity of stress on the patellofemoral joint. To improve your load tolerance and strengthen your joint, it is essential to regularly impose load on the joint, but in a less intense manner. The right mix of intensity and duration of activities is the key to success.
It may also be relevant to identify movement defects and muscle weaknesses that lead to overload in the knee. Your physiotherapist could help you by teaching you motor control, strengthening and proprioception exercises. They will guide you in your progressions towards resuming your favourite activities and sports!
