Retropatellar Pain

Your condition has been determined to be arising from pressure on the back of your patella (knee cap). This may have resulted from trauma, malaligment, overuse or simply growth. This is often a frustrating type of pain that remains present to some degree for long periods of time.

Be reassured that most often with attention to some basic recommendations this pain can be modified to allow normal participation at a reasonably comfortable level. Also be assured that most of the time the sounds you hear arising from your knee are not in proportion to any damage in the knee.

When your knee is bent for a prolonged time or when you attempt to straighten your knee against resistance (crouching, arising from a chair, going up or down stairs, cycling, aerobic lunges or weight lifting for example) your knee cap is forced hard against your femur and pain often occurs. The thrust of your rehabilitation program is going to be eliminating or limiting these aggravating positions and activities as much as possible.

The primary exercise you should be doing, at least initially, is isometric quad sets or in other words tightening your thigh muscle with the knee already out straight and hold this for five to ten seconds. Repeat this a total of at least one hundred times per day in divided exercise periods.

We may have indicated a brace for control of an alignment problem or an arch support for your foot may also be indicated in your case. If so, simply follow our oral instructions on their use. If you can tolerate aspirin like drugs we may also have suggested one of these but in the long run it will be modification of activities and isometric exercise that will give you comfort. If your symptoms persist or if other symptoms such as swelling, limited motion, buckling or locking should occur you should arrange to be re-evaluated.