Patellofemoral Pain
Patellofemoral pain is anterior knee pain commonly aggravated by squatting, stairs, or prolonged sitting.
Knee - PathologyBiomechanical Mechanism
Poor patellar tracking due to hip weakness, dynamic valgus, and quad dominance increases joint stress.
Clinical Rationale
Dynamic valgus and quad dominance elevate patellofemoral stress. Correcting these factors improves symptoms.
Practical Solution
Improve hip control and patellar tracking while reducing pain-provoking load.
Common Compensations
- Knee valgus
- Quad dominance
- Reduced squat depth
Correctives
- Glute strengthening
- VMO activation
- Movement pattern retraining
Progression
- 1Level 1: Pain-free activation
- 2Level 2: Controlled squats
- 3Level 3: Single-leg control
- 4Level 4: Return to impact
Regression
- Reduce depth
- Avoid pain
- Use assisted patterns
Red Flags
- Severe swelling
- Locking
- Acute trauma
Differential Diagnosis
Patellar tendinopathyChondromalaciaMeniscal pathology
Related Assessments
single leg squat assessmentoverhead squat assessmenthip abduction strength assessment
Related Exercises
terminal knee extensionglute bridgeclamshell
