Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome PFPS Exercises, Treatment And Symptoms

Posted on the 05 June 2013 by Painfrynet
Patellofemoral pain syndrome is a condition that causes sharp, debilitating pain in the knee. It is caused by friction or rubbing of the kneecap with the femur bone. The contact creates such a pain that the person may also have immense discomfort in walking. It does not resolve easily and takes long time to heal. Some people become more prone to this condition because of their occupation. Patellofemoral pain syndrome ( called PFPS in short ) is common among runners and other sportsperson like cyclists and basketball players. Those who do skiing are also at risk of developing this syndrome because of the powerful forces their knees bear.
It is a kind of kneecap pain which makes going down the stairs painful. This is a classic symptom of this condition. People who sit for long hours are also at risk for this syndrome. So, in general , one should avoid low activity or very high intensity exercise for long periods of time. Mix up your exercise or sports routine with lighter and enjoyable means of exercise, like swimming.
Once patellofemoral pain initiates, one has to utilize all the techniques to get rid of this pain.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome exercises to relieve pain and restore strength: 
  • Quadriceps Stretch : Stand straight. Bend one leg at the knee and try to touch the heel of the leg to the  buttock or lower leg. Keep both the knees aligned. Use the same sided hand to lift the leg to that position. 
  • Hamstring stretch : Lie down and raise one leg straight up without bending the knee. 
  • Tennis ball exercises : Place a tennis ball in the place behind the knee. Now, move your leg forward and backward rolling on the ball. This is a simple toning motion that one can do if the pain is enough to limit walking. 
  • Band Stretch : Take an elastic band and wind it on both the legs, slightly above the knee. Now, lie down, bend the knees and stretch the legs outwards. The elastic band offers resistance. 
If the pain is severe and person is unable to do even recuperative exercises, then he or she is made to wear knee braces.They support the knee and prevent further injury. All this while, images of the knee joint are taken with x-ray to find out the cause of PFPS. This can help detect serious issues like bone spurs, dislocation and twist. 
Some people have flat feet and this can cause stress on the kneecap and the knee joint. Stress on the knee joint can be reduced by wearing motion control shoes.This is a nice treatment method.  
Finally, rest is an important part of the equation. PFPS may not resolve if the body does not get enough rest and quality nutrition for repair work. Sometimes, the cause behind it may be just a muscle tear or a tendon tear which the body can heal by itself if it receives sufficient protein in diet. So, keep your diet up to the mark and give some time to the body to get on with the task. Do not take complete rest and do light jobs like swimming and walking.