A likely cause is anterior knee pain, and here is some information you should know regarding this condition.
Anterior knee pain is defined as any pain that presents across the front of the knee. This condition is extremely common and affects up to 30% of the adolescent population, with females being more likely to experience pain compared to their male counterparts. Common causes of anterior knee pain may include Patellar Tendinitis/Tendinopathy, Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, Osgood-Schlatter Disease/”Growing Pains”, or Sinding-Larsen-Johansson Syndrome - all of which are overuse injuries.
The good news is, all of these are treatable and symptoms can be managed! Initially, it may be best to modify activity levels to allow pain to decrease, but that does not mean to stop moving all-together. Continuing to exercise and move will be key to recovery. While in this activity modification phase, it is important to continue to strengthen your muscles in non-aggravating ranges of motion, as well as continuing with cardiovascular exercise to improve healing.
Good examples of exercises to perform include:
- Quadricep strengthening exercises such as wall sits and knee extensions below painful threshold
- Hip strengthening activities such as side planks, glute bridges
- Core strengthening exercises such as deadbugs, planks, paloff presses
- Cardiovascular exercises such as biking, walking, swimming
Other key factors to address:
- Ensure you are staying active with walking, biking, swimming, playing for at least 60 minutes every day
- Ensure you are sleeping at least 7-9 hours each night
- Ensure you are eating a variety of foods and your plate includes a protein, vegetable, and fruit at every meal
- Ensure you are drinking at least 8 cups of water per day
Anterior knee pain is a very common condition that many young athletes experience. If you or someone you know would like more information or are not noticing any improvements, set up an evaluation with your PT Solutions team. Physical therapy can help with symptom management, improving strength and mobility, and will help you get back to the sports you love faster and with decreased risk of re-injury.
