What's Anterior Knee Pain?

Anterior knee pain is also known as patellofemoral pain syndrome. The knee cap’s scientific name is patella and this is the part of the knee that’s mainly affected when a person has this problem. And since most people who are affected by this experience knee pain from running, it is also popularly known as runner’s knee.

The problem could also go beyond the knee cap too, as there are cases wherein the tissues and cartilages underneath the knee cap can start to soften and even deteriorate. And since these can no longer support the patella efficiently, pain and other knee problems can be experienced. If therapy is recommended, one can adopt patellofemoral pain syndrome exercises.

Understanding Anterior knee pain from running

The knee’s basic structure puts the patella or knee cap right in front of the entire knee mechanism. When a person moves such as when one goes for a walk, the knee bends and the knee cap glides so as to accommodate such movements.

If the surrounding tissues and muscles on the patella are not that strong and well-established, this could greatly affect the knee cap tracking and can cause pain to a person. And if the activities engaged in are really intense such as when one is into physical sports or training exercises, improper patella tracking can even lead to injury.

There are also cases wherein the abnormal positioning of the patella is inborn. And if there’s a poor alignment of the knee cap to the rest of the bones in the same area, this makes a person prone to knee pain and injuries. That’s why experiencing knee pain from running is a common occurrence to those who have this case.

Causes of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

The internal mechanism of the knee which could be affected by poor patella tracking can be one of the main reasons for developing PFPS. Moreover, if one is always engaged in activities and sports such as football, basketball, cycling, skiing, and the like, it also makes a person vulnerable to such problem.

You will notice that all the aforementioned activities demand a lot of work on the knees. The legs and feet need to maintain balance, and the knees are twisted in different directions when running, jumping, and dealing with obstacles on said sports. It is for this reason why athletes often suffer from leg and knee injuries.

And there are other factors that can lead to the development of runner’s knee too, even if you are not that active in sports and other similar activities. Studies show that having flat feet also makes one prone to anterior knee pain. The reason for this is that flat footed people can’t support their body weight properly and their knee joints can become overloaded with pressure from their body weight.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome exercises Can Help Ease the Pain of Anterior Knee Pain

The pain associated with PFPS varies from person to person. When treated immediately by engaging in patellofemoral pain syndrome exercises, the symptoms can be alleviated right away. Performing such exercises regularly can also help avoid future knee problems.

When the pain and symptoms are ignored and if rest is not immediately undertaken, the symptoms can aggravate as well as the pain. And in situations like this, healing and rehabilitation can take a long time.