Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome – Knee pain is a huge part of people around the world. The United States also records a huge number of knee pain cases which also include syndromes like Patellofemoral pain syndrome.
The data points of the Centers for Disease Control and prevention indicate that the United States records around 3,000,000 cases of patellofemoral pain syndrome, which is also known as the runner’s knee or jumper’s knee.
It Is a common condition in the United States which include symptoms like pain under or around the knee cap. Patellofemoral pain syndrome is a unique condition that may also affect both knees at the same time.
The patellofemoral pain syndrome is not just limited to athletes over old age, as it can happen to anyone. That is why today we are here to help you discuss everything regarding patellofemoral pain syndrome.
What are the Symptoms of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome?
Patellofemoral pain syndrome, also known as the runner’s knee or jumper’s knee, is known to have a small list of symptoms which include pain in the knee As a primary symptom of the condition.
Pain is one of the biggest symptoms of the condition. It usually begins at very mild levels and gradually grows to an unbearable form.
- Pain in the knee will get unbearable during intense physical activities And even walking.
- The patient might not be able to walk, climb stairs or perform any squatting.
- The pain will increase after sitting for a longer period in a knee bend position.
- Popping or cracking sounds while performing day-to-day activities, including climbing stairs and standing up.
As its names suggest, pain is one of the biggest symptoms of patellofemoral pain syndrome. The condition will get worse over time, and the patient might not be able to perform any day-to-day activities, which will impact their life.
What are the Causes of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome?
Health experts around the world have not figured out the right causes of patellofemoral pain syndrome. Still, there are certain conditions where a person will be more vulnerable to developing the syndrome.
Overuse of Knee
Overuse of the knee joint is one of the biggest causes of patellofemoral pain syndrome. Similar to every other body part, the common knee also requires time to recover, and overuse of the knee joint may also put you in a vulnerable place to develop patellofemoral pain syndrome.
Even if you are an athlete, you should make sure you are getting enough rest and preventing any kind of longer stress. Professional running and jumping athletes use several techniques to recover from knee stress.
Direct Injury
Direct injuries are another big cause of the condition. People who perform physical activities are more vulnerable to injuries than regular people. Direct or side impact does the mere result in pain in the knee cap.
Regardless of the severity, nobody should ignore the knee injury as it might lead to patellofemoral pain syndrome. Whether it’s a dislocation or direct fracture, both conditions may lead you to similar results.
Surgeries
Even successful surgeries are also known to trigger patellofemoral pain syndrome. If you have recently been in surgery, you should consult about every type of knee pain with your healthcare provider.
People who go through repair to the anterior cruciate ligament surgery are more vulnerable to developing the condition. And you should not ignore any knee pain after knee surgery.
Muscle Weakness
General muscle weakness and imbalances may also lead you to patellofemoral pain syndrome. If your knee cap is not aligned with the rest of the muscles, it might lead you to pain during high-intensity workouts.
Problems with alignment and overall knee weakness may also lead you to similar conditions. If you are also struggling with weak quad muscles, We highly recommend you consult with a physician.
Other Major Risk Factors
Apart from the above given common causes of patellofemoral pain syndrome, some other major risk factors might also lead you to similar conditions.
- You might not realize, but the age factor is not going to work when it comes to patellofemoral pain syndrome. The condition usually occurs in adolescents and young adults.
- Knee problems in older adults are usually caused by Arthritis.
- Women are two times more vulnerable to developing patellofemoral pain syndrome as compared to men. The waiter pelvic area of women may increase the chances of muscle imbalances right above the joint.
- Several athletes, including runners and jumpers, put extra stress on their knees as compared to others. Those athletes are also vulnerable to the same.
What is the Diagnosis and Treatment of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome?
The diagnosis of patellofemoral pain syndrome is quite easy, and most health experts in the country are capable of diagnosing the condition.
When a patient first visits a healthcare professional for pain in the knee, the healthcare professional is going to ask about the history of knee problems. At the same time, the healthcare professional will also try to press the knee joint and find any signs of the condition.
Later, your healthcare expert might suggest you go for some imaging and scanning tests.
- X-ray test is among the most common imaging tests which can help a healthcare professional diagnose the condition. The X-ray technique provides visuals of bone structure, and healthcare experts are also capable of finding any damage to the soft tissues.
- CT scans combined with X-ray images are also quite common in the diagnosis of patellofemoral pain syndrome.
- MRI scan using radio waves and a strong magnetic field is also common in the diagnosis of patellofemoral pain syndrome.
Treatment Options
Once a healthcare expert has successfully died in the nose of the condition, now it is time for the discussion of treatment options.
There are multiple causes of patellofemoral pain syndrome, and it can have different treatment measures.
Rest
The first line of treatment for patellofemoral pain syndrome is going to be the rest. Your healthcare expert will recommend you rest your knee as much as possible to lower the inflammation, and it will also help the muscles to recover.
During the rest, the patient should make sure they are not performing any heavy activities such as climbing the stairs, kneeling, or squatting. Walking might be fine, but the patient should be consulted with their healthcare provider.
Medication
Along with the rest, some patients might also require medication, and healthcare experts usually suggest over-the-counter pain relievers. Tylenol, Advil, and Aleve are among the most common over-the-counter pain medication for the condition.
Therapies
Healthcare providers may also recommend the patient go for some therapies which can help the patient recover at a much faster pace. Usually, healthcare experts recommend these therapies to professional athletes.
Rehabilitation exercises include strengthening your quad, hamstring, and other muscles around the pelvic area. Supportive braces and taping may also help in the treatment.
How to Prevent Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome?
There are multiple ways to prevent patellofemoral. You can use strengthening exercises to strengthen your Quad and hip abductor muscles. After that, you can also lose some Body weight to lower the stress on the knees.
Which medicine can help in the treatment of patellofemoral pain syndrome?
Healthcare experts use over-the-counter pain relievers to lower the Pain from patellofemoral pain syndrome. The patient is allowed to take Tylenol, Advil, or Aleve To lower the pain.
What is the main cause of patellofemoral pain syndrome?
It is not fixed because of patellofemoral pain syndrome.Severalf things take part, including overuse of the knee joint, muscle imbalances, surgery, or any injury.
How long does patellofemoral pain syndrome last?
Patellofemoral pain syndrome may last several weeks if it is untreated. You can always lower that time frame by opting for the right treatment.
Does patellofemoral pain syndrome go away?
Yes, patellofemoral pain syndrome will go away within a few weeks. The patient must make sure that they are receiving the right treatment from an experienced healthcare professional.
Can patellofemoral pain syndrome be cured?
Yes, patellofemoral pain syndrome can be cured, and most people recover within 4 to 6 weeks of treatment. The patient has to make sure they are not letting it go Untreated.
Is It okay to walk with patellofemoral pain syndrome?
Healthcare experts recommend light walking during patellofemoral pain syndrome. The patient must make sure they are not performing any heavy activities, including squatting and climbing stairs.
What exercises should I avoid for knee pain?
Exercises like climbing stairs, high jump, long-distance running over long-distance walking, and kickboxing should be avoided. At the same time, the patient can also avoid exercises like squats and lunges.
