Patellofemoral syndrome is pain around or under the knee cap, often described as runner’s knee and is a common injury among active people. There are a number of causes such as over pronation, knocked knees, muscle imbalance or an impact in the area. Pain is often present when going down hills and stairs, bending of the knee, squatting and sitting in the same position for long periods.
This condition can also be referred to as runner’s knee, with this condition however pain is usually felt on the outside edge of the knee, just above the point of insertion of the ITB. It occurs when the ITB flicks across the boney prominence know as the lateral epicondyle. This constant rub damages the structure and causes inflammation and pain. It is especially common in runners due to the repetitive nature of the running movement but can also occur when cycling and rowing. This structure is often neglected during stretching regimes which causes increased tension along the length of the structure and therefore more of a rub.
Osgood Schlatters disease is a fairly common condition seen in young athletes, it is more common in boys and will usually occur during a growth spurt. Pain is located over the Tibial tuberosity (boney prominence just below the base of the knee cap) where the patella tendon inserts. It occurs when the bones grow over a short period of time and as a result the tendons and muscles become tighter. It is a self limiting disease but in patients where biomechanics are poor more help may be required to support and correct any misalignments.
This is degeneration of the articulating surfaces of the knee joint, areas of cartilage wear over time, these areas can become thinner and can sometimes wear away completely. It is caused by a number of factors, previous injury, being overweight, overuse, misalignment of the joint to name a few. Pain is often felt during or after exercise and may be accompanied by clicking or grating sensation, patients will often complain of stiffness within the joint first thing in the morning or if the joint has maintained the same position for any length of time. Once there is excessive wear it can be difficult to do anything to correct the joint and a knee replacement may be the only answer. It is therefore important to correct the problem before it becomes unmanageable and slow down the progression of the disease.
