Anterior knee pain
Anterior knee pain is pain at the front of the knee, and it is often linked to the way your feet and lower limbs work. Footwear advice, strapping, strengthening programs and orthotics can help. Fiona Shepes assesses the cause in an initial consultation from $100.
What anterior knee pain is
Anterior knee pain is pain at the front of the knee. It is often called patellofemoral pain, a name that refers to the joint between the kneecap and the thigh bone. The knee is a complex joint, and both the knee and the ankle are affected by the way you walk and by the posture of your foot. This kind of pain often builds up gradually with activity.
Symptoms
Symptoms of anterior knee pain usually centre on the kneecap and can include:
- pain when you walk, squat or kneel
- an ache after sitting with the knee bent for a long time
- pain that is worse on stairs, especially going down
- a clicking or grinding feeling when the knee bends
- soreness during or after sport or exercise
Causes and risk factors
Causes and risk factors for anterior knee pain often sit further down the body, in the feet and legs. Poor foot function is a common driver of pain at the front of the joint. Foot types such as flat feet can change the load the knee takes, and so can feet that roll in. Risk factors reach up the leg as well, from the pelvis and hip through to the ankle. Past injuries and accidents can alter the way you move, and they add to the risk over time.
Treatment at the clinic
Treatment for anterior knee pain at the clinic starts with a biomechanical assessment of your feet and lower limbs. Fiona examines the position of your hip and knee, the alignment of your pelvis, the stability of your ankle and the way your feet bear weight. She can refer you for X-ray, ultrasound or MRI when more detail is needed. Your plan may include footwear advice, strapping and taping, or a stretching and strengthening program. When poor foot function is part of the cause, she can fit you with custom orthotics from $650. The orthotics are scanned with a 3D foot scanner, and the price covers the biomechanical assessment, the fitting and a review appointment. Semi-custom orthotics cost from $450 and include the biomechanical assessment and the fitting. For more complex cases, you and Fiona agree on the plan together.
Looking after it at home
Looking after anterior knee pain at home starts with easing the demand on the knee. Cut back on the activities that stir it up, such as hills, stairs, deep squats and long walks, and build back up gradually. Comfortable, supportive shoes can make day-to-day walking easier. An ice pack wrapped in a cloth can be used when the knee aches after activity. Gentle stretching can be part of each day, and our foot and calf stretches guide shows you how.
When to see a podiatrist
Pain at the front of the knee that keeps coming back, or that changes the way you walk, is a sign to see a podiatrist. Ankle pain at the same time is worth raising, as Fiona assesses both joints together. A knee that locks, gives way or swells a lot should be checked by a GP first. Pain that began with a fall or an accident needs medical review before podiatry care. Severe pain, or a knee you cannot stand on, calls for urgent medical attention. Your GP manages any medicines for pain. She consults at Narre Warren and Cranbourne North.
Questions
Can a podiatrist help with knee pain?
A podiatrist can help when the problem starts in your feet or lower limbs. Fiona assesses the whole leg, treats what she finds and refers you back to your GP when a problem needs medical care.
Can flat feet cause pain at the front of the knee?
They can, because your foot posture shapes how the whole lower limb lines up. An assessment shows whether your foot type is part of the problem in your case.
Do orthotics help anterior knee pain?
Orthotics can help some people with anterior knee pain. Fiona recommends them after a biomechanical assessment and talks through the options with you first.