Hands up whose trying to get fit right now ?!?
We often throw ourselves into exercise without preparing our bodies and slowly building up. This often makes you more susceptible to developing injuries especially when our deeper stabilising muscles haven’t been switched on in a long time.
One injury that people are particularly susceptible to develop is…… PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN !!
Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is an umbrella term used to describe pain in the front of the knee or around the knee cap (patella). Often PFP is referred to as ‘runner’s knee’ or ‘jumpers’ knee as this condition is often seen amongst the running population and everyday athletes, however it can affect anyone.
PFP is often experienced during weight bearing activities when the knee is in a flexed position. Activities which include squatting, jogging, stairs, kneeling, walking up and downhill, lunging or even sitting with the knee flexed for long periods of a time may be particularly painful.
PFP is multifaceted and there are many reasons people develop this pain. In many cases, increases or changes to the amount of physical activity, muscle imbalances around the hip, knee and ankle, inappropriate footwear, and poor movement and running technique often place excessive load on the kneecap.
Want to know the good news ? Physiotherapists are here to help!
We focus on reducing pain and symptoms with activity modification and assess your movement patterns that may be contributing to your pain. We use manual therapy in the initial stages to help offload the knee. We combine this with specific strengthening exercises targeted at improving quadriceps, gluteal and core strength as these muscle groups have a fundamental impact on patellofemoral joint function.
If you have a niggle in your knee, don’t wait until it’s too late ! Book an appointment with one of our expert physiotherapists today.