Why does my knee hurt?
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Knee pain is a very common condition and can significantly restrict your lifestyle.
WHY DOES MY KNEE HURT? PATELLOFEMORAL JOINT PAIN
Knee pain is a very common condition and can significantly restrict your lifestyle. There are many causes of knee pain and this report will concentrate on pain arising from the knee cap or patella also called anterior knee pain (AKP) or patellofemoral joint (PFJ) pain.
Patellofemoral dysfunction can persist over a long period of time before you become aware of pain and decreased function. Often people are alerted to the problem by crackling or crepitus in the knee with bending or squatting. However altered movement patterns and muscle imbalances may have already started to develop leading to poor biomechanics.
In a younger sporting or active population PFJ dysfunction can limit running or playing sport. In a more older or sedentary group PFJ pain can affect your capacity for recreational activities such as gardening, walking, using stairs or squatting.
ANATOMY
The patellofemoral joint is unusual because the kneecap slides up and down in a groove in the front of the knee as you bend and straighten your leg. The patella or kneecap is enveloped by the quadriceps muscle and tendon and gives the quadriceps muscle better mechanical advantage in its function of straightening the knee.
