Patellofemoral refers to the joint that includes the knee cap or the patella and the thigh bone or the femur. It can result from malalignment of the patella on the femur, weakness of the quadriceps muscles, or tight structures on the lateral aspect of the knee.
Pain may be felt behind or around the knee cap, grinding noises may be heard during bending or straightening the leg, the knee may feel like it gives-way without any particular reason, or some mild swelling may be noted around the knee.
Many times conservative treatment of pain relief, strengthening, and stretching may relieve symptoms. The primary goals of rehabilitation are to re-establish motion, power, and stability to the joint.
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So I've been instructed to stay off the bike for a week or two and limit my runs to 5-7 miles. I'm not happy about this, but an injury now is something that I can recover from and still be in good shape for my long-distance triathlons. If I don't heal up properly, this will be a nagging injury for months.
I've incorporated some stretching and strength building (especially my hip abductors) into my routine and will be doing some weights on days that I normally bike. I also see a lot more swimming coming in the next few weeks!!
Luke -
ReplyDeleteI have a genetic version of this which arises from the fact that my patellar tendon is not quite attached where it should be.
Over the years it has flared up when I begin to run without doing quadraceps strenghthening exercises at the same time. The stronger quads help keep the patella in correct allignment. I am hoping that you knee can be as easily fixed.
Good luck.