| Did you know that forty-two percent of
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| | can pull the patella sideways. There
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| all overuse injuries affect the knee
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| | could also be muscular issues
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| joint, and patellofemoral pain syndrome
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| | contributing to your PFPS. Tight
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| (PFPS), also known as "runner's knee", is
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| | hamstrings and calf muscles, in
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| the most common overuse injury among
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| | particular, can put excessive pressures
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| runners.
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| | on the knee. Weak quadriceps muscles can
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| PFPS can effect both knees, though more
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| | also cause the patella to track out of
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| commonly it is more painful in one knee.
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| | alignment, creating painful friction and
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| According to the British Journal of
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| | rubbing.
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| Sports Medicine PFPS hinders more young
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| | What can I do to help with PFPS?
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| and active people, and twice as many
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| | A good physical therapist can perform a
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| women as men. This is most likely because
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| | thorough assessment and determine what
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| women tend to have wider hips, resulting
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| | factors could be contributing to your
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| in a greater angling of the thighbone to
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| | knee pain. They would also evaluate your
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| the knee, which puts the knee cap under
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| | running stride while running on a
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| more stress. The symptoms of PFPS are
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| | treadmill to determine if there are any
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| caused by the irregular tracking of the
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| | problems with your running technique and
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| patella (kneecap) in the femoral groove.
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| | gait which may be the culprit of your
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| What are the common symptoms of PFPS?
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| | pain. Treatment will likely consist of
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| Symptoms will be different case by case
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| | exercises to focus on correcting existing
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| but often include tenderness behind or
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| | muscle imbalances and improving strength
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| around the patella. It is possible to
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| | in weak muscles. You will also perform a
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| feel pain toward the back of the knee, a
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| | flexibility program for the hamstrings,
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| sense of cracking or that the knee is
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| | calves and hip flexors, and education on
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| instable and giving out. Running or
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| | proper footwear and referral for
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| walking on steps, hills or uneven
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| | orthotics to correct your foot
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| surfaces can exacerbate PFPS.
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| | positioning, if necessary. The rule is if
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| What are possible causes of PFPS?
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| | your feet have good form, your knees will
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| Determining a single cause of your knee
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| | follow.
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| pain can be quite difficult. A good
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| | Some smart ways to prevent PFPS is to try
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| approach to eliminating your pain is
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| | running on softer surfaces like grass or
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| having your knee assessed by a physical
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| | trails. Also, don't do too much.
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| therapist. Anterior knee pain could be a
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| | Increasing your weekly mileage more than
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| biomechanical problem. Biomechanical
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| | ten percent each week is too much. And
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| issues that may be causing your pain
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| | lastly, running on hills can be good for
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| include: excessive internal rotation of
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| | your heart but hard on your knees; make
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| your hip, your knee cap may sit too high
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| | sure to introduce a hill routine slowly!
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| or too low in its groove, worn cartilage
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| | For the best advice contact a good
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| in the knee joint which reduces shock
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| | physical therapist who can analyze your
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| absorption, high arches of the feet
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| | running gait and provide strengthening
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| providing less cushioning and flat feet,
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| | exercises to prevent future pain in your
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| or knees that turn in or out excessively
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| | knees.
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