Patellofemoral pain is a common knee problem, which isnt surprising when you consider that forces on the patella, or knee cap, range from between one-third and one-half of your body weight during walking to three times your body weight during stair climbing. It can result from malalignment of the patella on the femur, weakness of the quadriceps muscles, or tight structures on the lateral aspect of the knee. It sometimes is caused by wearing down, roughening, or softening of the cartilage under the kneecap. The first step in treatment is to stop doing any activities that hurt the knee, especially high-impact activities such as running, and dont start again until you can do them without any pain.
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