Anterior Knee Pain
What is it?
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The joint where the kneecap (patella) meets the upper leg bone (femur) is called the patellofemoral joint. The kneecap sits in a groove on the thigh bone. Commonly, the area under and around the kneecap can become irritated and cause pain. This can be due to a muscle imbalance, altered biomechanics, or an overuse injury of the knee. Anterior knee pain can also be called runner’s knee or patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS).
Typical Symptoms/features:
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Pain at the front of the knee, often vague and intermittent.
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Pain with kneeling/direct pressure to the knee.
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Often gradual onset related to increased load or activity.
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May have a creaking noise of the knee on movement.
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Symptoms are often aggravated by walking, running, stairs and/or deep squatting.
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There may or may not be swelling to the area.
Management:
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Activity modification
- When you first start noticing anterior knee pain, it may help to reduce your activity for a short amount of time to allow the pain to settle.
- However, there is strong evidence that says keeping active and slowly returning to your normal levels of activity can actually help the pain to settle quicker.
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Ice or heat
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Pain relief
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Physiotherapy including range of movement exercises and a graded strengthening programme.
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In cases with severe and/or prolonged symptoms, or if the kneecap has dislocated more than 3 times, an orthopaedic opinion may be warranted.
Do I need imaging?
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Imaging is not usually required to diagnose or treat anterior knee pain.
