Patellofemoral pain syndrome

Patellofemoral pain syndrome causes pain behind or around the kneecap. It's one of the leading causes of chronic knee pain, and 1 in 3 adults may have knee pain of this kind at some point in their life.

Symptoms of patellofemoral pain syndrome can differ from one person to the next. You may have some of these, or all of them:

• pain beneath or around the kneecap, especially when you climb up and down stairs, kneel or squat.
• clicking and grinding in the knee.
• the knee giving way, or a feeling that it might.
• pain after sitting in one position for a while, such as when driving or at the cinema.
• swelling.
• a tight feeling in the calves and thighs.

The cause of patellofemoral pain syndrome differs from person to person, but it often comes down to the kneecap (patella) being loaded in an altered way.

The main factors that can contribute are:

• weakness in the buttocks and thighs.
• tightness in the hamstrings and calf.
• sudden changes in activities.

Other factors could be:

• repeated kneeling or bending of the knee.
• sitting or driving for a long period of time.
• being overweight.

The strongest evidence suggests that with patellofemoral pain syndrome, it's very important to strengthen any weak or underactive muscles and to stretch any short or tight muscles.

An important step in your recovery is finding out which activities cause or increase your pain. Changing those activities can help reduce your symptoms, but you should make sure you stay active too.

Changing your activities may include:

• reducing the amount of kneeling
• taking regular breaks while doing activities that aggravate the pain
• reducing the amount of time you sit still

Pain medicine can help you move more comfortably, and that in turn can help keep your patellofemoral pain syndrome symptoms under control.

Patellofemoral knee syndrome can sometimes mean you need to take some time off work so you can recover. How long you stay off depends on your condition and on what you do at work.

You don't have to be free of symptoms before you think about going back. Carrying on with work, or returning as soon as you're able, will help your recovery.

Getting back to your normal daily activities bit by bit can help build up your strength and stamina.

If you follow this advice, you should see gradual improvement over time.

Talk to a doctor if:

• your symptoms haven't improved within 6 weeks of following this advice
• your symptoms get worse

Find out about access to MSK services in your area.

With any health condition, look after your mental wellbeing too, because it can affect your recovery.

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