Knee Pain

Knee Pain

Anterior knee pain is also known in medical terms as Patella Femoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS).

Pain at the front of knee is often cause by a muscle imbalance, meaning certain muscle groups are overworking and tight and other muscles are weak and not providing enough support. This creates an uneven strain at the front of the knee.

Statistics show 25% of people will have PFPS at some point during their life and 2.5 million runners will have PFPS diagnosed in any one year.

There can be lots of contributing factors to developing this condition which is why a physiotherapy assessment can be most helpful.

Foot posture, poor footwear, building fitness and impact training too quickly, poor strength in gluts and quads as well as tight illiotibial band and quads are common factors which need addressing.

Modification to your running style can also reduce the stress through your knees. Increasing your forward lean, increasing your step length to reduce your stride length and having a mid or forefoot running stance have all been proven through research to help.

Helena Cary