Patellofemoral pain syndrome / Runner’s knee

You should give attention to training the rest of the body, so you do not lose your current mobility, stability and strength. Then find out what you can do from workout programs and work out according to the level you have. Exercise of the rest of the body accelerates healing of your injury, among other things due to increased nerve activity and circuits.

Description of patellofemoral pain syndrome

This type of injury exhibits the same tissue damage as chrondromalacia patellae. In the case of patellofemoral pain syndrome (knee cap / head of the thigh bone pain), the knee cap has been exposed to external trauma as for example in a fall on the knee, skiing accidents, blow by ice hockey stick etc. Patellofemoral pain syndrome can therefore be a cause of chondromalacia patella. Since the injury itself is not differentiated from chondromalacia patella, neither by symptoms, tests, arthroscopic or x-ray, both tests and treatments are identical. However, there is a differentiated rehabilitation as patellofemoral pain syndrome comes from trauma rather than an imbalance in muscles, joints etc.

Frontal (anterior) knee pain may be due to many different diagnoses, and they constitute approximately 25% of total sports injuries. Although “tons of literature” has been written and the symptoms are clear and easy to diagnose, the conditions are often frustrating to treat, and permanent remediation of the symptoms is often impossible to achieve. For this reason, many who are affected by anterior knee pain must significantly reduce or completely abandon their leisure activities, to prevent recurrent problems.

It must be made clear that there will always be a superficial degree of damage to the hyaline cartilage on the back of the knee cap in these cases, and there may also be direct hyaline injuries. Injuries to the hyaline cartilage is divided into 2 categories: chondromalacia patellae and patellofemoral pain syndrome, which are both diagnosed based on similar pain reactions.

Direct trauma or strong blows to patella can of course cause surface changes. Sufficiently hard collisions can cause damage throughout the hyaline cartilage, even in the thickest place, and sometimes these are unable to heal completely
Read more about chondromalacia patellae here.

Symptoms of patellofemoral pain syndrome
  • Diffuse pain in the knee and back of the knee cap connected to exertion or strain
  • Acute injury.
  • Tight muscles and asymmetry.
  • Discomfort exacerbated when walking or running on hills or stairs, especially downwards.
  • Pain and stiffness experienced when moving from sitting to standing after a rest period.
  • Discomfort is exacerbated by squatting position.
  • Occasionally accumulation of fluid in the knee joint occurs.
Examination of patellofemoral pain syndrome
  • Negative X-ray.
  • Inspection of the joint through arthroscopic examination provides the final diagnosis.
  • Positive clamping test of the knee cap.
  • Stress test.
Treatment of patellofemoral pain syndrome
  • Active rest.
  • Specific rehab training focusing on the cause.
  • Thermal treatment.
  • Kinesiology tape.
  • K-Laser.
  • Knee bandage with a hole to support the knee cap.
  • Sports Taping.
  • Ultrasound (continuous / pulsating), 3 Mhz, 2 W cm2 in the joint, pointed towards knee cap.
  • 3rd and 4th grade patellofemoral pain syndrome can’t be treated and usually requires surgery.
  • Traumeel tablets.
  • Ultrasound (3 Mhz with 2 w / cm2 pulsating and continuous 7.5 min each).

The doctor may do an arthroscopic examination in order to diagnose and determine the degree of the condition. In severe or prolonged cases, surgery may be necessary. Through arthroscopy changes can be removed or the irregularities smoothed out. Generally, the discomfort caused by damage to the cartilage in the knee cap often alleviates spontaneously, but it may last for up to a couple of years. For periods at a time, the athlete may have to change his training habits to avoid the most pain provoking movements.