Women patellofemoral pain syndrome

[emorymom]

OK talk to me! 13yo DD has been out of all knee exercise for 2 weeks 2 days and is still in significant pain. X-rays clear, Dr. thinks patellofemoral pain syndrome. I was thinking tendonitis and prepared for 3 weeks of acute pain and then it would back off if we were very careful and could start rehab.

How long for this, if he's right? How long until she can walk a dog, start rehab?

All she is doing for 2 weeks 2 days is pulling in swim team, no push off wall, no kicks, no dryland, NO GYM.

She's still getting significant pain from walking 1 block or around a store, arg ...

DD is not done growing. I expect another 2-3.5 inches.

 

[raenndrops]

I have a form of patellofemoral pain syndrome. I was diagnosed in 1980. At that time, I was told "no running, no sports, no gaining weight and do some special knee exercises" and when I asked how long, he said forever. I was not happy.

Nowadays, though, they seem to think it will only last a few months or so with rest and proper PT.

 

[Krisztina10]

My dd has this. She's 9. Been in a brace for 3 weeks and going to PT 3 times per week. And PT exercises everyday at home. No running or jumping or landings. She was never in as much pain as your dd though. But either way an excellent Ortho (works gymnast, including elite ones back in the day) said this issue responds very well to rest and PT. They expect dd to resume normal activity in 2 weeks or so.

Good luck.

 

[emorymom]

I have a form of patellofemoral pain syndrome. I was diagnosed in 1980. At that time, I was told "no running, no sports, no gaining weight and do some special knee exercises" and when I asked how long, he said forever. I was not happy.

Nowadays, though, they seem to think it will only last a few months or so with rest and proper PT.

Did it go away?

 

[emorymom]

My dd has this. She's 9. Been in a brace for 3 weeks and going to PT 3 times per week. And PT exercises everyday at home. No running or jumping or landings. She was never in as much pain as your dd though. But either way an excellent Ortho (works gymnast, including elite ones back in the day) said this issue responds very well to rest and PT. They expect dd to resume normal activity in 2 weeks or so.

Good luck.

Thanks! I need to make a PT appt for the second week of April.

 

[catou]

Could be worth to check gluten strength. On one my gymnast had significant knee pain last year (used crutches because of the pain). She went to an sports medicine doctor who found the problem. He gave her a couple exercices and I made sure she did them every training. This year, I included more exercices for that area in conditioning and she hasn't had any problem

 

[GymCMLA]

PFP is related to tight hamstrings and relatively weak quads. I rec PT and isometric quad strengthening.

 

[Rapunzel]

I have this on one side, I had knee problems as a teenager but nothing major enough to go to the docs, fast forward to my mid 30s and it's back. This time I've had physio, first flair up was bad for about 3months, then it was fine again, then about a year later I had another flair up (snowboard lessons triggered it I think), I got physio quicker and was sorted within 6wks. Now it's certain actions that lead to the inflammation that causes the pain and I avoid them (I'll stick to skis). I've got stretches from the physios that I do when it's feeling a bit iffy.

 

[raenndrops]

Did it go away?

In my case, it was a degenerative version that I was told would mean I would need a new knee but could wait until i was 40, if I followed directions... And I didn't exactly follow directions. I did the knee exercises, but I also only took three weeks off of being a kid... Played football (including warming up including running, grass drills, etc) for that season.
I would have good days of no pain and think it was better, especially over the winter when I wasn't doing as much. Then I played baseball from April-August, lol.
I am over 40 and still have my knees - just no cartilage.
Follow doctor's orders… good luck.

 

[UnoMas]

My DD had this on and off age 9-15. She was prescribed exercises at age 9 that she has done since then and still starts up again when she even has a small twinge in her knee. For her the worst things are deep knee bends, plies, etc and of course pounding from lots of vaulting/tumbling. She has managed this successfully with only one really bad flare up after the initial diagnosis that required a course of PT.