CITY COAST PHYSIO BLOG

New Group Exercise Classes!

Tuesday & Thursdays 12pm - 1pm

The group exercise classes are conducted and supervised by a Physiotherapist for the prevention & rehabilitation of Low Back Pain.  Private Health Insurance rebates may apply also be suitable for Workcover, Department of Veterans’ Affairs and Motor Vehicle Insured patients.

 

SORE KNEES MAY BE YOUR KNEE-CAPS - PATELLO-FEMORAL PAIN
by Scott Whiting - Senior Clinical Physiotherapist

Patello-femoral pain (PFP) is the term used to described a group of symptoms attributed to altered mechanics of the knee cap’s (patella) position with respect to the front of the knee joint (tibio-femoral joint), during bending and straightening of the leg and loaded activities.

PFP is a common complaint affecting 20% of the general population and an even greater percentage in athletes involved in jumping and landing sports. It accounts for 21% of all lower limb overuse injuries. The pain is often ill defined over the front of the knee but can include sharp pains at the bottom and inside edges of the patella and even behind the knee.
When the knee is bent, the patella is ‘pulled back’ with force against the knee joint surface. If poor mechanics exist, this compressive force is greatly increased and movements will be painful in activities such as going up and down stairs or hills, squatting, and prolonged sitting with the knee bent. If left untreated, over time, it can lead to roughening and degeneration of the cartilage and bony surfaces where these bones come in to contact at the front of the knee joint and back surface of the patella. This eventually may necessitate surgical intervention.

TREATMENT: Assuming a correct positive diagnosis is made by a Physiotherapist, Sports Physician or Orthopaedic specialist, treatment usually involves all, or a selection of the following:-

¯ Stretching of muscle and soft tissues that if tight, contribute to increased compressive load at the joint or pull the patella ‘off track’.

¯ Strengthening of muscles at the hip and knee that reduce compressive load at the patella and improve patella tracking.

  • Strapping of the patella to assist correct tracking/joint positioning.
  • Correction of foot positioning to help mechanical alignment at the knee.
  • Local pain and inflammation relieving modalities.

RESULTS: Current research based on the above ‘multi-modal’treatment program indicates 67% of patients improve within 6 weeks. Other studies show 90% of patients respond quickly and favorably to treatment and that 86% of patients under the age of 38 demonstrated good to excellent results, with success diminishing to 50% over this age. A multi-modal physiotherapy treatment approach is the current best practice recommended for the management of PFP.

The message is clear - Track it down early.
Seek advice on conservative treatment before degenerative changes occur.