Physical Therapy For Patellofemoral Pain

Do you have persistent dull, aching pain in your knee?

Does the pain get worse when exercising, climbing stairs, or after sitting for long periods of time?

Sensations such as these are commonplace for people living with patellofemoral pain.

If you’re unfamiliar with this term, some people refer to it as another name, such as jumper’s or runner’s knee.

It’s one of the most common types of knee pain in the United States.

You might think that knee pain is only a concern for seniors; however, this is nothing more than a common misconception.

While it’s true that many adults need help for chronic knee pain as they age, patellofemoral pain impacts people of all ages and activity levels.

For instance, a 2025 article by Rathleff and Collins asserts that patellofemoral pain is the most common type of nontraumatic knee pain amongst teenagers and young adults.

Your chances of experiencing this type of pain also increases with higher activity levels.

This 2017 article by Halabchi et al. states that patellofemoral pain is most prevalent amongst athletes who participate in jumping, cutting, and pivoting sports.

When it comes to patellofemoral pain, a physical therapist is your first line of defense.

If you’re dealing with patellofemoral pain, you’ve come to the right place.

At Capitol Physical Therapy, we offer physical therapy for sports and running injuries that can help you both manage and prevent instances of patellofemoral pain.

In this article, we explain what patellofemoral pain is, known causes, prevention tips, and how physical therapy can help treat it.

Keep reading to find out more.

What Is Patellofemoral Pain?

In medical circles, we refer to your kneecap as your “patella”.

Therefore, patellofemoral describes pain in your knee.

It may occur in one or multiple parts of your knee, such as in front of, under, or around your kneecap.

Patellofemoral pain is very common.

According to a 2018 study by Smith et al., it occurs in approximately 22-28% of the American population.

Women are also more likely to feel patellofemoral pain than men.

The reasons for this are numerous, including factors such as anatomical and hormonal differences, as well as lifestyle factors.

Physical therapy is one of the most effective solutions for treating patellofemoral pain.

What Does Patellofemoral Pain Feel Like?

The most obvious symptom of patellofemoral pain is pain occurring in and around your kneecap.

The pain may range from mild to severe.

Most people described it as a dull, aching pain that may worsen when:

• Walking up or down stairs or hills
• Playing sports
• Participating in deep knee bending activities, such as squatting and lunging
• Walking on uneven surfaces
• After sitting for long periods of time with the knee bent

You might notice the pain subsides with rest; however, it typically reappears without treatment.

What Is Patellofemoral Pain Caused By?

A sudden increase in physical activity is a common factor for patellofemoral pain.

This is especially true for people participating in running or jumping activities.

These types of activities often increase faster than your knees can keep up.

Some additional factors may also contribute to the development of patellofemoral pain.

These include:

• Undertraining or overtraining
• Poor footwear use during athletic activities
• Poor balance and position sensation
• Weakness of thigh muscles
• Specializing in a single sport which requires repeated movements, such as basketball, volleyball, or cross country
• Poor coordination between your hip, knee and ankle patterns during running and jumping activities

Does Patellofemoral Pain Go Away On Its Own?

Some people take a “wait and see” approach to their patellofemoral pain.

Indeed, if your patellofemoral pain is only slightly uncomfortable, you might think it’ll likely go away on its own.

But unfortunately, patellofemoral pain doesn’t go away on its own and can often worsen if ignored.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of patellofemoral pain, it’s important to seek physical therapy right away so you can return to your favorite physical activity as soon as possible.

Can You Prevent Patellofemoral Pain?

So, is patellofemoral pain inevitable?

Not at all.

Fortunately, there are some preventative measures you can take to reduce your chances of experiencing patellofemoral pain.

These include:

• Keeping your thigh muscles strong
• Exercising regularly
• Increasing your activity levels slowly
• Participating in a variety of sports rather than only one sport that requires repetitive movements

How Can Physical Therapy Help Patellofemoral Pain?

A physical therapist is qualified to help with both evaluation and management of patellofemoral pain.

Your physical therapist will evaluate your health history and knee function to rule out any other possible conditions, such as arthritis.

We’ll pay special attention to any movement that causes knee pain.

For instance, we’ll evaluate your levels of pain during activities such as kneeling, jumping, and running.

After your evaluation, your physical therapist will put together a treatment plan that focuses on your specific strengths and needs.

Everyone has different strengths and challenges.

Therefore, treatment plans may differ from person to person.

However, your physical therapist has plenty of tips and tricks that’ll help you to feel better in no time.

Let’s take a closer look at some techniques physical therapists commonly utilizes for the management of patellofemoral pain.

1. Balance And Coordination Training

Balance and coordination training provides plenty of great benefits to clients living with patellofemoral pain.

RELATED ARTICLE: What’s Causing Your Poor Balance?

For instance, it can help retrain your hip, knee, and ankle movement patterns.

Ultimately, balance and coordination training can help reduce your knee pain as well as prevent future flare ups.

This physical therapy technique is specifically helpful for athletes and other active individuals.

Your physical therapist will focus on movements such as stair climbing, squatting, running, and jumping.

2. Exercises To Build And Maintain Strength

Exercises that help build and maintain strength are one of the most important factors in the management of patellofemoral pain.

Your physical therapist will teach you exercises that help strengthen the muscles around the hip and knee themselves.

Strengthening these muscles will make your knee more capable of withstanding increased activity levels.

3. Cross Training

Cross training involves the incorporation of multiple activities in an exercise routine.

It’s particularly helpful for athletes and other activities that help individuals strengthen a variety of muscles.

For people experiencing patellofemoral pain, cross training is an excellent way to encourage activity until recovered enough to return to their regular physical activities.

4. Taping And Shoe Inserts

Finally, your physical therapist may include taping and shoe inserts in your treatment.

Taping involves applying tape to your knee to improve your ability to perform otherwise painful activities, such as squatting.

We can also place inserts inside of your shoes that’ll help reduce your pain while exercising.

It’s important to note that both taping and shoe inserts will not help reduce patellofemoral pain alone.

Rather, you’ll gain more advantages when using them alongside an exercise program.

Book Your Appointment With Our Physical Therapy Clinic Today

Patellofemoral pain can affect anyone — from teen athletes to active adults — and ignoring it can make the problem worse over time.

Unfortunately, it’s often a result of structural changes or poor form and does not tend to resolve without treatment.

Fortunately, physical therapy offers effective, personalized solutions to manage pain, restore mobility, and help you return to your favorite activities safely.

Whether you’re recovering from a flare-up or looking to prevent one, our team of physical therapists is here to support you every step of the way.

At Capitol Physical Therapy, we can put together a treatment plan to help manage your patellofemoral pain and set you on the path to recovery.

With the right care, you can get back to moving comfortably and confidently again.

Book your appointment with Capitol Physical Therapy today and take the first step toward lasting knee pain relief.