Pain in the Front of the Knee? Start Here!
Anterior knee pain, or pain located in the front of the knee, is a common complaint that we see in our performance physical therapy clinic located in Bozeman, MT. This pain is commonly referred to as patellofemoral pain or Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS). This is a fancy term to basically say that an individual has pain around or associated with their kneecap (the patella).
We see this frequently with individuals who are doing a high volume of running, jumping, hiking, and squatting. Luckily, it’s an area that responds extremely well to physical therapy treatment, especially strengthening of the quadriceps and hip musculature.
If you find yourself dealing with pain in the front of your knee, here is where we typically have our clients start:
Wall Sit Isometric Holds: 5-6 reps x 30-45 seconds
Make sure that your feet are out past your toes and you can sit back into the wall.
Focus on engaging the quads.
Start without weight and progress to holding weight as shown.
Fire Hydrant: 3 sets x 12-15 reps per side
Place band around the knees
Stand with a slight bend in the stance knee
Kick out and slightly back, feeling side of the glutes working
Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat: 3 sets x 8-10 reps per side
Keep your chest up and sit back as you lower into the squat
Ensure your knee is centered over the second to third toe
Add weight in opposite hand as able
These exercises are by no means a one size fits all and make require modifications based on the individual. However, they are good place to start for introducing some easy loading to the hip and knee while minimizing pressure on the kneecap.
If you like the exercises or know someone that could benefit from them, go ahead and share this blog with a friend.
If you have any questions for us or are interested in working with us virtually or in-person, then send us a message here: frontdesk@movementphysiomt.com
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Thank you!
