I have always been a strong believer that knee pain and
mosquitos are proof of some all-knowing, all-powerful malevolent being. Why
else would those terrible things exist? Anyway, knee pain can come in different
forms and today we’re going to talk about patellofemoral syndrome.
Patellofemoral syndrome is pain that centralizes in the front of the knee. It
often occurs in teenagers, manual laborers, and athletes and can be caused by
the wearing down or softening of the cartilage underneath of the kneecap (the
patella). This can happen from overuse, injury, excess weight, a kneecap that
is not properly aligned, or from changes occurring under the kneecap (during
growth spurts, for example). The pain experienced by those with patellofemoral
syndrome localizes in the front of the knee particularly while sitting,
squatting, jumping, or going down stairs. Occasional knee buckling, or a
grinding sensation when walking or moving the knee may also occur. The simplest
way to relieve pain experienced from patellofemoral pain syndrome is to simply
avoid or lessen activities that make symptoms worse; avoid sitting, squatting,
or kneeling for extended periods of time, and make sure that while doing the
movements mentioned not to hyperextend your knee. In between activities that strain
your knee, make sure to rest and use cold therapy (ice). Physical therapy
exercises may also help to decrease tightness around the knee, increase
flexibility, and strengthen the surrounding muscles to help stabilize and
support the knee. In addition to these treatments, make sure you always wear
comfortable and supportive foot wear while exercising. Custom orthotic inserts
can help to correct faulty biomechanics and increase shock absorption in your
foot, which will decrease the shock in your ankles and knees. If you are fed up
with knee pain and want to know if custom orthotic inserts can help decrease
your knee pain, give us a call today and set up a consultation with Dr.
Michael.
Thank you so much for your interest in what we do. We're here for you and want to put that Spring back in your Step! You can Book Online or call 604-737-3668 or "Ask Dr. Michael" by emailing info@vancouverorthotics.ca