I am diagnosed with Patello-Femoral Syndrome.
Nothing life-threatening, but it does limit my life somewhat.
I show the classic symptoms of pain in and around the kneecap, pain when climbing stairs and running, discomfort when sitting too long with knees bent, and cracking sound when the knee is bent. PFS is only on my left knee.
A sign of old age? Well, I was gratified to find that it can occur at any age, particularly among adolescents and young adults, according to HealthCentral.com. Other sources say it commonly occurs in athletes and runners. I am not in any of those catagories, and I did not injure the knee in any way, so why me?
I read that it can be caused by muscle imbalance in the quadriceps or front thigh muscles. I don’t know if this is true, but my PT told me to do some exercises to strengthen those muscles. It probably wouldn’t hurt to have stronger thighs. All the muscles in my body could use some strengthening for that matter.
I might also have an anatomic predisposition. A problem with the feet such as fallen arches or forefoot pronation (flat feet) can also cause PFS. Knees that are angular – knock-knee – which I have, also could be a cause.
I am blogging about this so I can hopefully look back in a few months and blog about my improvement.
September 24th, 2006 at 4:56 pm
I am unaware of the syndrome, but i have those symptoms when i was in middleschool and in highschool… it just hurts when i am sitting down for too long.. and the carking sound too… definitely not sign of old age! I’ve learned that standing improperly and locking my knees may also be cause… like i am talking to someone at church I try not to lock my left knee and not have all my weight on it… I wear a special brace sometimes and also apply a heat cream regularly and seems to have improve after a few weeks
September 25th, 2006 at 8:59 pm
So sorry to hear about your knee. I have been seeing a physical therapist for help with my feet and knee problems – also anatomic. I look forward to hearing about your progress!
September 26th, 2006 at 6:25 pm
Don’t worry, it’s definitely NOT something that comes with age… I had it last summer in both my knees, and I know Xiwen has had a bad case of it during track season too. It’s also known as runner’s knee or jumper’s knee, and if it hurts really badly, you can buy a strap that you can wear under your kneecap. They should be available at WalMart or Big 5 for about $10.
September 30th, 2006 at 9:22 pm
Thanks for the advice, guys. Not so bad lately, and not bad enough for a strap or brace.
October 27th, 2006 at 9:46 pm
[…] First it’s my knee problem. Now it’s a cholesterol problem. […]
November 1st, 2006 at 2:47 pm
i am 15 and have this…. it’s not from old age, or at least it better not be!