Introduction
The kneecap (patella) is located at the front of the knee and serves mainly as protection for the knee joint. The kneecap is a so-called sesamoid bone. A sesamoid bone increases the distance between the tendon and the bone and can therefore optimally improve the leverage effect of muscles, for example.
The kneecap is the largest sesamoid bone in the body and transfers muscle power from the thigh to the lower leg because it is located in the tendon of the thigh extensor muscle. In athletically active people, pain above the kneecap is mainly caused by injury or overstrain, while in older people, the main cause is wear and tear such as osteoarthritis. Many different ligaments, muscles and tendons connect the large knee joint, which is why there are a variety of causes for pain in the area above the kneecap.
A distinction is made between acute pain, which lasts for a few hours to days and recedes over time or through therapy, and chronic pain. Chronic pain can also start suddenly, but can also develop slowly and, by definition, last from six weeks to three months. Knee pain should not be taken lightly and should be treated promptly by a doctor. Typically, the family doctor or an orthopaedic surgeon is the first point of contact. Often the principle applies: the earlier the painful knee is treated, the better the chances of recovery.
Symptoms
Pain located above the kneecap can cause a number of other symptoms. For example, the skin may be reddened and warmed in the case of an inflammation. Movement may be restricted throughout the entire knee, stretching or bending may be restricted until it is completely blocked.
In most cases, the pain occurs particularly under stress or is increased by stress. For the diagnosis it is important to distinguish when the pain above the kneecap is intensified. Pain that occurs after rest and is accompanied by stiffness is, for example, typical of osteoarthritis (joint degeneration), while pain that occurs under stress and at rest could be indicative of an inflammatory rheumatic disease.
If the pain above the kneecap occurs especially when climbing stairs, an inflammation of the bursa could be responsible for the discomfort. A snap while moving is also typical for certain diseases of the knee. This often leads to the feeling that the knee gives way or collapses.
If these symptoms repeatedly cause swelling of the knee and the problems occur particularly after sporting activities, it may be a wrinkle in the inner skin of the joint, for example. Typically, the pain in this clinical picture occurs above or below the kneecap, the preferred sites where such wrinkles can form. Attention should also be paid to symptoms outside the knee, for example, other joints may be affected by pain. However, accompanying symptoms such as fatigue, abdominal pain, skin rash or fever are also possible and may indicate acute or chronic conditions affecting several organs. A typical example is borrelliosis, a bacterial inflammation transmitted by ticks, which can be accompanied by knee pain as well as fever and chills.
