Frontal Knee Pain

The frontal area of your knee and around you kneecap is referred to as the patellofemoral part of the knee.

Patellofemoral knee pain, or anterior knee pain, is the most common cause of knee pain.

It usually causes a deep pain in the front area of the knee, which often is worse with climbing stairs, squatting, running and sitting with the knees bent. Often there are no obvious symptoms besides the knee may feel like it is going to buckle.

The kneecap—or patellofemoral—area is prone to pain for a number of reasons. The kneecap is a small bone but bears a great deal of load. During certain activities, three-six times your body weight may be placed across the patellofemoral joint. Certain anatomic factors predispose some individuals to patellofemoral pain and overload.

When should you seek treatment?

You should seek treatment if:

• You cannot put weight on your knee
• You have severe pain whether you're putting weight on your knee or not
• Your knee buckles, clicks or is stiff
• Your knee is misshapen
• You cannot flex your knee or have trouble straightening it
• You have redness or warmth around the knee and/or major swelling
• You have pain, swelling, numbness, tingling or discoloration in the calf below the impacted knee
• You still have pain after three days of home treatment

EvergreenHealth orthopedic specialists are trained to assist you with your knee pain and help you get back to normal functioning.

We can talk with you about your concerns and work with you to get you the right treatment. We can also help advise you regarding other specialties or surgeries if that is necessary.

Non-Surgical Treatment for Knee Pain

Patellofemoral knee pain is treated initially with changes in your activities and physical therapy.

If non-surgical options fail to provide the desired relief, it may be time to consider surgery.

Surgical Options to Relieve Knee Pain

Surgical procedures used to treat patellofemoral knee pain include: tibial tubercle osteotomy, lateral release and cartilage replacement surgeries when appropriate.

Tibial Tubercle Osteotomy

The tibial tubercle is the bony part of the leg right below the knee joint where the patellar tendon attaches.

Patients with severe patellofemoral knee pain may be candidates for tibial tubercle osteotomy.

Tibial tubercle osteotomy involves cutting the bone where the patella tendon attaches and moving it slightly.

This procedure can also be used to treat patellofemoral arthritis in selected patients, patella instability and can also be used in combination with other procedures such as cartilage replacement surgery.

Lateral Reticular Release

The lateral retinaculum is the soft tissue along the outside of the knee. Patellofemoral knee conditions often cause this tissue to become tight.

Releasing this tissue involves a minimally invasive procedure that is most often done in combination with other patellofemoral procedures.

Selected patients with patellofemoral knee pain and a tight lateral retinaculum may be candidates for isolated lateral release as a minimally invasive way to treat their pain.