Synonyms in a broader sense
The pain of the patella is also called femoropatellar pain syndrome. Further synonyms are:
- Retropatellar pain
- Chondropathia patellae
- Chondromalazia patellae
- Patello-femoral arthralgia
- Patello-femoral arthrosis
- PFS
- PFSS
- Femoropatellar pain syndrome
Differential diagnostics to the patellofemoral pain syndrome
Differential diagnosis is the term used to describe alternative causes that cause comparable symptoms and complaints:
- Knee Joint Arthrosis
- Knee joint arthritis (inflammation of the knee joint)
- Meniscus damage
- Belt Damage
- Free joint body
- Leg length difference
- Radiating pain from the hip or spine (referred pain)
Definition
PFFS (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome) is one of the most common symptoms in the anterior knee area. There is no uniform clinical picture behind PFSS, but rather a very complex clinical picture, which is discussed very differently in terms of definition, diagnosis and etiology (causes). The definition of an Australian research group is: pain originating in the anterior knee and the patello-femoral region (area of the articulated connection between the kneecap and the femur) of mostly unclear origin. The patellofemoral joint suffers from degenerative changes as early and frequently as hardly any other joint, and there is still no method for the reliable repair of cartilage damage. Frequently, young, athletically active, often female people are affected by PFFS (patellofemoral pain syndrome).
Symptoms of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
- Pain in the area of the kneecap (behind, next to, under)
- Start-up pain after prolonged resting position of the knee joint
- Pain intensifies after sports activities, climbing stairs, squatting
- Restricted movement, feeling of tension due to swelling in the patella area
- Pain can be unilateral, bilateral or alternating
Causes of kneecap pain
- Bony deviations of the kneecap and knee joint (bow legsX-legs)
- Bony deviations of the hip or ankle joint
- Too tight patella guidance due to shortening of the ligaments
- Muscle weakness of the thigh muscles
- Muscle shortening of the thigh, hip and calf muscles
- Classical overloading of the knee joint
