Pain around the knee cap (patella) will not develop without a cause.
Although you may have been told that you have 'chondromalacia' or that you suffer from 'patellofemoral syndrome', these terms actually encompass a wide variety of conditions. In this Part of the course I will run briefly through the list of some of these conditions.
Conditions interfering with the mechanics of the knee
Tight structures around the knee
- Tight lateral retinaculum (patellar tilt and/or lateral displacement)
- Tight ilio-tibial band
- Tight hamstrings
- Tight quads
- Tight calf muscles
- Patellar arthrofibrosis & patella baja
Loose structures around the knee
- constitutional laxity (hypermobility syndromes)
- patella alta (high knee caps)
Factors increasing the Q angle
- Flat feet
- Knock knees (valgus deformity)
- Poorly positioned tibial tubercle
- Tibial rotation ('miserable malalignment')
Irritation of soft tissues inside the knee
- Plica syndrome
- Fat pad syndrome
- Pre-patellar & infra-patellar bursitis
- Synovial impingement
- Neuroma in the lateral retinaculum
- Early rheumatological conditions
Overuse
- Unusual exercise
- Patellar tendinopathy
- Quadriceps tendinopathy
Deformed bones
- Trochlear dysplasia
- Patellar dysplasia
- Bipartite patella
- Dorsal defect
Stressed bones
- Stress fracture of patella
- Traumatic fracture of patella
- Osgood Schlatters disease & Sinding-Larsen-Johansson syndrome
Knee problems not necessarily involving the mechanics of the knee
- Neuroma under the skin
- Osteochondritis dissecans
- Tumors
- Infection
'Complex Regional Pain Syndrome'
I will go into this in more detail later.
'Referred Pain', not originating with the knee at all
- Hip problem, e.g. slipped capital epiphysis
- Spine problem
This list is for reference and completes this part of the course. I'll explain all the terms as we go along - don't worry!
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