Knee Cap Pain: Stop the Suffering

Are you kneecaps constantly popping? Are you suffering from constant knee cap pain? Do you find it difficult to move your knee? If so, you could have chondromalacia, an abnormal softening of the cartilage characterized by pain either behind or around the knee cap.

Also known as Patella Femoral Syndrome or Runner’s Knee, knee cap pain occurs when the knee cap rubs against the lower end of the femur – the thighbone – instead of gliding smoothly over it. This repetition roughens the cartilage underneath the knee cap, causing knee cap pain. The damage can range from a slight abnormality of the cartilage surface, to a surface that has been completely worn away to the bone.

Traumatic cases of this type of knee cap pain occur when a blow to the knee cap actually tears off a piece of articular cartilage or bone.

Runners, skiers, cyclists and soccer players most often come down with this type of knee cap pain.

Knee Cap Pain: Causes

Do you know what can cause knee cap pain? Trauma, overuse, muscle weakness, age, tight hamstrings, tight heel cords, tight quadriceps or mal-alignment can all cause knee cap pain. Knowing how the pain starts can help you be more careful with your body.

What Not to Do

Be careful! Here are ways you can make knee cap can worse:

• Taking part in any activity that forces the knee to bear weight as it’s straightened can worsen knee cap pain.
• Walking up or down stairs can increase knee cap pain.
• Walking on a hill can contribute to knee cap pain.
• Running and sports activities can also cause increased knee cap pain.

Knee Cap Pain: Tips on Relieving Pain and Avoiding It in the Future

Rest and ice can treat knee cap pain and reduce any related swelling.

Here are some other doctor-recommended ways to ease knee cap pain:

• Using a knee brace provides relief from knee cap pain.
• Engaging in low impact exercises that strengthen muscles, particularly within the quadriceps, can relieve knee cap pain.
• Taking over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs can help relieve knee cap pain.
• Stretching and strengthening the hamstrings and quadriceps can help decrease knee cap pain.
• Wearing shoes with added arch supports, especially during exercise or walking, is crucial to treating knee cap pain.
• Swimming, riding a stationary bike or engaging in other low-impact exercises can help lessen knee cap pain.

Visit your doctor to learn if you need orthotics and/or surgery to treat your knee cap pain.

Information on foot, leg and lower body health conditions like knee cap pain provided by The Podiatry Institute, dedicated to advancing the standard of care in podiatric medicine and its effects on muscoskeletal health.