Patello-Femoral Pain Syndrome (PTPS) is often associated with any pain in front of the knee and around the patella or kneecap. Anterior knee pain is a concept that is experienced by many patients where the cause can vary from improper alignment to muscle dysfunction, or when the cartilage under the kneecap is damaged due to injury or overuse. This syndrome can be referred to as chondromalacia and runner’s knee. It is frequently seen in teenage athletes, people whose jobs require frequent standing, squatting, climbing ladders or stairs and can include cyclists and hikers. Symptoms are commonly intensified with descending stairs, prolonged driving with a bent knee, squatting and kneeling. Frequently people hear a click and the most common reason people experience this pain is overuse. Contributing factors to the syndrome include weakness, and tightness of the muscles around the hip and knee, an abnormality in the lower leg and hip alignment, and or improper tracking of the knee cap.

Continue Reading »

In this era of technology, a common symptom experienced by people who sit for extended hours at a computer are neck and shoulder pain. This phenomenon is referred to as forward head posture. As Physical Therapists, we often see this prolonged posture with the person who does repetitive work in an assembly line and is stooped forward or sits forward, the commuter sitting in traffic, a student who studies for endless hours, or in adolescents texting or playing video games. There is also the executive who sits uninterrupted with his head forward. Neck pain usually impairs function in daily activities and significantly impacts quality of life. Patients present with neck and or shoulder that can refer into the mid back and scapulas.

Continue Reading »