Patello-Femoral syndrome (PFS) is a condition in which a person experiences irritation under their knee cap and the surrounding tissues due to compression or inflammation. You move your knee with every step, and patients with PFS may feel pain and discomfort during everyday activities like walking, running, standing, sitting, squatting or kneeling. In other words, patients with Patello-Femoral syndrome deal with nagging pain throughout their entire day.
Fortunately, there are some simple treatment options that can help free this compression and resolve your pain. Physical therapy is a key method in controlling symptoms of PFS, but there are also other modalities to consider if you want to make the fullest and speediest recovery. We spotlight those techniques below.
Treating Patello-Femoral Syndrome
Patello-Femoral syndrome is a common condition we see at OrthoRehab Specialists, because it can be traced back to individuals who overstress their knee joint or who receive trauma to the knee. Doctors often classify the injury as “runner’s knee” or “jumper’s knee” given how easily it can develop in runners or athletes who overstress the knee joint.
When a person comes into our clinic with Patello-Femoral syndrome, treatment isn’t just hyper-focused on the knee. There are a number of related structures that can contribute to this patellar compression, including but not limited to:
- Weak or tight knee muscles
- Weak hip muscles
- Flat feet
- Knees that point inward when walking or running
By conducting a full biomechanical breakdown and working to strengthen the supportive structures near the knee, we can help to calm the compression underneath the kneecap and resolve your pain. Your physical therapist will walk you through a number of stretching techniques that can help loosen muscle groups and resolve this compression as well. Some common stretches include wall sits, bridges, clams, quadriceps stretches and IT band work. They’ll help design a PT routine you can perform in your home to help prevent flareups and protect your knee before you dive into activities.
Physical Therapy in MN
Finally, your physical therapist will also walk you through some other ways to manage your PFS alongside physical therapy. Many patients find some relief through a combination of RICE before and after physical activities (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation), as well as activity modification. If you’re somebody who likes to get out for a run every day, your physical therapist may talk to you about ways to exercise without putting as much repetitive stress on your knee joint. Activities like swimming, cycling or ellipticals are great ways to stay active and limit stress on the knee while the condition resolves.
So if you’ve been bothered by daily knee pain or you’ve been diagnosed with patello-femoral syndrome, reach out to the specialists at OrthoRehab Specialists to see how we can help eliminate your knee pain.
PT of Costa Rican National Soccer Team for 2007 World Cup in Victoria, CAN. Clinical Instructor for University of Minnesota Doctor of Physical Therapy Affiliations
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