Having pain at the front of the knee or around the kneecap without any significant trauma can be due to a number of reasons. These can be caused by:
- Excessive movement in your kneecap
- Tightness in your iliotibial band (ITB), which is a tendon than runs from the outside edge of your hip to outside edge of your knee. This can pull on structures around the knee and cause pain on certain movements or weight bearing.
- Weakness of the quadriceps, the group of muscles at the front of your thigh, and gluteal muscles, the muscles around your bottom, can cause poor control of your knee. This means the knee is more reliant on the ligaments to keep it stable and not the muscular structures. This strain on muscle tissue can cause pain.
- Tightness in your hamstrings, behind your upper thigh.
- Inflamed patella tendon, which is the tendon that runs from the bottom of your kneecap to the top shin. This means each time this tendon is put under strain from a quadriceps contraction (e.g. when walking up stairs), it can cause pain in the knee.
- Overdoing sporting activity and not allowing your body time to recovery.
All of these can be treated with a course of physiotherapy, which can include a mixture of education, soft tissue release, stretching programmes and strengthening exercises.
One of the causes of multiple types of knee pain can be the biomechanics and positioning of your feet. Your physiotherapist can assess your feet to see if this is an issue, and then refer you to see a podiatrist/orthotist to provide appropriate insoles to correct the positioning of your foot. If a structure around your knee is inflamed it may be be a good idea to take anti-inflammatory medication to assist with easing your symptoms, but speak to your GP regarding best option for you. If your problems persist following physiotherapy, an option would be for a specialist orthopaedic knee surgeon to review your knee to see if anything could be damaged.
Are you worried about pain in your knee? We are able to see you in your home, work place or hotel and can set up an initial appointment within 24 hours. Contact us today on 0207 884 0374 or email info@physiocomestoyou.com.
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