Anterior knee pain

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Anterior knee pain

Definition

Anterior knee pain is pain that occurs at the front of the knee.

Alternative Names

Runner's knee

Considerations

The health care provider will perform a physical examination of the knee to confirm and assess the pain.

Tests that may be performed to rule out possible structural damage to the knee or connective tissue include the following:

Joint CT scan
Joint x-ray
MRI scan of the knee

Causes

Common causes of runner's knee include rotation (pronation) and lateral (away from the middle) pulling of the kneecap. This causes the kneecap to become misaligned with the connective tissues and muscles involved with knee movement.

Anterior knee pain may also be caused by:

Arthritis
Cartilage injury
Pinching of the inner lining of the knee with knee motion (synovial impingement, or plica syndrome)
Poor alignment of the patellofemeral joint (where the kneecap rubs against the lower portion of the thigh bone)
Softening of the cartilage under the kneecap (chondromalacia patellae)
Tendinitis of the quadriceps tendon (where the thigh muscles attach to the top of the kneecap) or patellar tendon (where the kneecap attaches to the shin bone)

References

Dixit S, DiFiori JP, Burton M, Mines B. Management of patellofemoral pain syndrome. Am Fam Physician. 2007;75:194-202.

May TJ. Persistent anterior knee pain. Am Fam Physician. 2007;76:277-278.

Review Date: 5/5/2008
Reviewed By: Andrew L. Chen, MD, MS, Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, The Alpine Clinic, Littleton, NH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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