NOVEMBER 2019
Your News l et ter to Greater Hea l th
RUNNING TOWARD RELIEF STEP YOUR WAY TO PAIN-FREE KNEES
Patellafemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a broad term used to describe kneepain in,around,orbehindthekneecap.PFPS isextremelycommon in runners but also develops in the general population and can cause a great deal of pain while going up/down stairs, running, or kneeling. One of the most alarming things about PFPS is that 70-90% of these individuals have chronic or recurrent pain. The patella acts as a level for the strong quadriceps of the leg and encountersmassiveforcesthroughthepatellafemoral jointwhilewalking (50% of bodyweight) or running (up to 700% bodyweight). As the knee bends, the kneecap slides down the trochlear groove of the femur. In a perfectworld,thekneecapwouldstaycentered inthegroovethroughout
yourmovementsandthe largeforcesyouencounterwouldbedistributed throughout the entire surface area of the patella. Unfortunately, what often happens is the kneecap moves ever so slightly to one side of the grooveorridestoohigh inthegroove,reducingsurfaceareacontactand increasing loadthroughcertainpartsofthepatella. Ifthishappens inthe context of increasing activity it can potentially lead to an inflammatory reaction and pain. If swelling or effusion increases as a result, you may experience arthrogenic inhibition. Arthrogenic inhibition is a fancy way of saying the body reflexively shuts down the quad when the knee becomes inflamed. Unfortunately, this is badbecausethequadricepsserveasthesuspensionsystemfortheknee andaweakquadcanalso leadtopoortracking.Atthispoint,peopleoften find themselves in a cycle where weakness leads to pain, which leads to more weakness… Luckily, we are well versed in how to treat PFPS and have some wonderful tools at our disposal that can quickly start to reverse this process. If you or someone you know is experiencing pain around the kneecap, please let them know we are here to help.
Call us today at (503) 567-5771 to find out the cause of your pain and how MechanoTherapy can help you find relief.
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