Physiotherapist update: July 2019 Rina van der Merwe, Physiotherapist Patello-femoral pain Definition: Patella = kneecap; Femoral = femur (thigh bone) Patello-femoral pain is an umbrella term used for pain felt behind your kneecap, where your kneecap articulates with your thigh bone. The pain is mainly due to poor kneecap alignment. Poor kneecap alignment is usually a result of muscle imbalance. Causes: You have 4 quadriceps muscles which attach to the kneecap. If there is a muscle imbalance between the muscle that pulls the patella up and out (vastus lateralis), and the muscle that pulls the patella up and in (vastus medialis oblique), then your patella will track laterally in the groove of the femur and cause pain and irritation. Longstanding tightness of the lateral knee structures will encourage the patella to drift sideways over time. Poor buttock muscle control can also cause the knee to roll in, and thus cause a relative lateral displacement of the patella. Symptoms: · Gradual onset · Pain during weight bearing or jarring activities th…
