Runner's Knee: Understanding Patellofemoral Pain (PFPS)
Patellofemoral pain (PFP), commonly referred to as patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) or runner’s knee, is a frequent cause of anterior knee pain in both athletic and general populations. Symptoms are typically experienced around or behind the patella and are aggravated by activities that load the patellofemoral joint, including running, squatting, stair climbing, jumping, and prolonged sitting.
Patellofemoral pain is best understood as a multifactorial condition rather than a single structural or biomechanical problem. Training and activity loads, quadriceps and hip strength, movement strategies, individual anatomy, previous injury, recovery, and other patient-specific factors may all influence the development or persistence of symptoms.
Effective management begins with a careful clinical examination and an understanding of the individual's symptoms, physical capacity, activity demands, and goals. Exercise-based rehabilitation forms the foundation of treatment, with progressive strengthening and appropriate load management used to rebuild function and tolerance to activity.
Manual therapy, including Motion Specific Release (MSR), may be incorporated when examination identifies relevant pain, mobility restrictions, or other musculoskeletal findings that may be limiting function or participation in rehabilitation.
In this article, we will examine the anatomy and biomechanics of the patellofemoral joint, clinical presentation, diagnosis and differential diagnosis, manual therapy, and progressive exercise rehabilitation, with an emphasis on translating current evidence into practical clinical management.
Article Index:
Clinical Manifestations
Patellofemoral pain typically presents as pain around or behind the patella that is aggravated by activities that load the patellofemoral joint. Symptoms may develop gradually and are often associated with changes in running, training volume, exercise intensity, occupational demands, or other activities that increase knee loading.
Common clinical features include:
Anterior or Retropatellar Pain
Description: Pain is typically felt around, behind, or adjacent to the patella rather than being sharply localized to one small structure.
Why It Matters: The location and diffuse nature of the symptoms can help distinguish patellofemoral pain from conditions such as patellar tendinopathy, which tends to produce more localized tendon pain.
Pain During Patellofemoral Loading
Description: Symptoms are commonly aggravated by squatting, running, jumping, lunging, stair climbing, and other activities performed with the knee flexed under load.
Why It Matters: Reproduction of familiar anterior knee pain during these activities is an important component of the clinical presentation.
Pain With Prolonged Sitting
Description: Some patients experience anterior knee discomfort after sitting for extended periods with the knee flexed, historically referred to as the “theatre sign” or “moviegoer’s knee.”
Why It Matters: This can support the clinical picture but should not be considered diagnostic on its own.
Crepitus
Description: Clicking, grinding, or crepitus may occur during knee movement, particularly during squatting, stair climbing, or repeated flexion and extension.
Why It Matters: Crepitus is common and does not necessarily indicate cartilage damage, abnormal patellar tracking, or progressive joint degeneration. It should be interpreted in the context of the patient's symptoms and overall examination.
Giving Way or Reduced Confidence in the Knee
Description: Some patients report that the knee feels as though it may buckle or give way during activity.
Why It Matters: This sensation may reflect pain-related quadriceps inhibition, reduced strength, altered motor control, or apprehension and should be distinguished from true mechanical instability associated with ligamentous injury.
Reduced Activity or Performance
Description: Patients may reduce running distance, avoid stairs or squatting, modify training, or experience difficulty with occupational and recreational activities.
Why It Matters: Functional limitation and load tolerance provide important information about the impact of the condition and should be considered alongside pain intensity.
The presentation of patellofemoral pain can vary considerably between individuals. Assessment should therefore consider not only where and when the knee hurts, but also recent changes in activity, loading patterns, strength and physical capacity, functional limitations, and the patient's goals. These findings help guide the examination and subsequent rehabilitation strategy.
Runner's Knee Anatomy and Biomechanics
The patellofemoral joint is formed by the articulation between the patella and the trochlear groove of the femur. The patella is embedded within the quadriceps mechanism and increases the mechanical advantage of the quadriceps during knee extension. As the knee flexes and extends, the patella moves within the trochlear groove while transmitting substantial forces between the quadriceps, patella, and femur.
Patellofemoral joint loading changes considerably with activity. As knee flexion increases during movements such as squatting, stair climbing, running, jumping, and landing, the contact area and compressive forces between the patella and femur also change. These forces are a normal part of movement. Problems may develop when repeated or increased loading exceeds the individual's current capacity to tolerate and adapt to those demands.
Patellofemoral pain should not be viewed simply as a problem of a kneecap that is “out of alignment” or tracking incorrectly. Patellar position and movement vary between individuals, and PFP can occur in the absence of obvious maltracking. Likewise, structural or biomechanical differences do not necessarily produce pain.
Key Structures and Biomechanical Considerations
Patella: The patella increases the mechanical advantage of the quadriceps and distributes forces across the patellofemoral joint. Its position and contact with the trochlea change throughout knee flexion and extension.
Femoral Trochlea: The geometry of the trochlear groove contributes to patellar stability and influences patellofemoral contact. Anatomical variation exists and should not automatically be interpreted as pathological.
Quadriceps Mechanism: The quadriceps, quadriceps tendon, patella, and patellar tendon work together to produce and control knee extension. Quadriceps strength and capacity are particularly relevant in patellofemoral pain and rehabilitation.
Patellar Tendon: The patellar tendon transfers force from the patella to the tibial tuberosity as part of the knee extensor mechanism. Pain arising from the tendon itself should be differentiated from patellofemoral pain.
Retinacular and Peripatellar Tissues: The medial and lateral retinacula and other peripatellar soft tissues contribute to patellar stability and may be clinically relevant in some patients, particularly when local tenderness or mobility restrictions are present.
Articular Cartilage and Subchondral Bone: Articular cartilage covers the opposing surfaces of the patella and femur and helps distribute joint loads. Patellofemoral pain does not necessarily indicate cartilage damage, and structural imaging findings do not consistently correspond with symptoms.
Hip and Trunk Function: Hip strength, trunk control, and movement strategies can influence lower-extremity mechanics during running, squatting, landing, and other weight-bearing activities. These factors may be relevant in some patients but should be assessed individually rather than assumed to be the cause of PFP.
Foot and Ankle Function: Foot posture, ankle mobility, and lower-limb movement can influence how forces are distributed through the kinetic chain. Excessive pronation should not automatically be considered pathological or assumed to cause PFP, but foot and ankle findings may be relevant in selected patients.
Looking Beyond Patellar Tracking
Patellofemoral pain is best considered a multifactorial condition involving the interaction between joint loading, physical capacity, movement, activity exposure, anatomy, and individual patient factors. Two people with similar knee mechanics or imaging findings may have very different symptoms and functional abilities.
For clinicians, the important question is therefore not simply, “Is the patella tracking correctly?” It is whether the patient's current patellofemoral and lower-extremity capacity is sufficient for the loads being placed upon it, and which modifiable factors identified during the examination may be useful targets for rehabilitation.
Diagnostic Evaluation
Patellofemoral pain is primarily a clinical diagnosis based on the patient's history and physical examination. There is no single orthopaedic test, imaging finding, or biomechanical measurement that confirms PFP in isolation.
The history should establish the location and behaviour of symptoms, onset and duration, recent changes in running or training volume, occupational and recreational demands, previous knee injuries, and activities that reproduce symptoms. Particular attention should be given to pain during patellofemoral loading activities such as squatting, stair climbing, running, jumping, lunging, and prolonged sitting with the knee flexed.
The physical examination should attempt to reproduce the patient's familiar symptoms while also assessing factors that may influence rehabilitation. Depending on the presentation, this may include:
Knee range of motion
Patellar and peripatellar tenderness
Quadriceps strength and capacity
Hip and lower-extremity strength
Squatting and single-leg squatting
Step-down or stair-related tasks
Running, jumping, or landing mechanics when relevant
Foot and ankle mobility and function
Functional load tolerance
Comparison with the opposite limb when clinically useful
Pain reproduced during a squat or another activity that loads the patellofemoral joint can support the diagnosis when it corresponds with the patient's familiar symptoms. Findings such as hip weakness, altered movement strategies, foot posture, or patellar mobility may provide useful information for treatment planning, but should not automatically be interpreted as the cause of the patient's pain.
Knee Examination - Orthopaedic Testing
This video demonstrates a systematic orthopaedic examination of the knee. Because several conditions can produce anterior knee pain, a broader knee examination can help identify findings consistent with patellofemoral pain while screening for other potential sources of symptoms.
The objective is not simply to identify one positive test. The diagnosis emerges from the pattern created by the history, symptom location, load-provocation findings, functional examination, and exclusion of other clinically relevant conditions.
Lower Limb Neuro Examination
A neurological examination is not required routinely in an uncomplicated presentation of patellofemoral pain. It becomes more relevant when the patient reports radiating pain, altered sensation, significant weakness, reflex changes, symptoms extending beyond the knee, or other findings suggesting lumbar or peripheral neurological involvement.
Peripheral Vascular Examination
Similarly, a peripheral vascular examination is not a routine component of every PFP assessment. It should be performed when the history or examination raises concern about vascular involvement, such as unusual swelling, changes in skin colour or temperature, altered pulses, exertional vascular symptoms, or other findings inconsistent with a straightforward musculoskeletal presentation.
Functional Provocation and Capacity Testing
Functional testing can help determine which activities reproduce the patient's familiar symptoms and how much patellofemoral loading the individual can currently tolerate. These tests should be selected according to the patient's activity level, symptoms, and goals rather than applied as a fixed battery.
Useful assessments may include:
Squat: A bilateral squat provides a simple method of loading the patellofemoral joint while observing symptom response, range of motion, strength, and movement strategy. Reproduction of familiar anterior knee pain during squatting can support the clinical diagnosis of PFP.
Single-Leg Squat: Increasing the demand to a single limb can provide additional information about lower-extremity strength, balance, trunk and pelvic control, and movement strategy. Findings such as dynamic knee valgus may be clinically relevant, but should not automatically be interpreted as the cause of the patient's pain.
Step-Down or Stair Testing: Step-down tasks can reproduce the demands associated with stair descent while providing information about eccentric quadriceps control, lower-extremity strength, movement strategy, and symptom response.
Strength Testing: Quadriceps strength should be assessed because reduced knee-extensor strength and capacity are commonly relevant in PFP rehabilitation. Hip musculature and other lower-extremity muscle groups may also be tested when indicated by the patient's presentation and activity demands.
Running Assessment: For runners, observation of running can help identify symptom-provoking workloads and potentially modifiable movement strategies. Cadence, speed, stride characteristics, training volume, terrain, and symptom response may all be relevant. Running mechanics should be interpreted individually rather than against a single model of “correct” running form.
Jumping and Landing: For athletes involved in jumping sports, hopping, jumping, landing, acceleration, and deceleration tasks can provide information about higher-load capacity and help establish a baseline for later rehabilitation and return to sport.
The purpose of functional testing is not simply to identify movement “faults.” It is to understand the relationship between symptoms, movement, strength, load, and physical capacity. These findings can then be used to select appropriate exercises, establish a baseline, and monitor progress as rehabilitation advances.
Imaging Modalities
Imaging is not routinely required to diagnose patellofemoral pain. In many patients, the history and physical examination provide sufficient information to begin conservative management.
Imaging becomes more appropriate when symptoms are atypical, significant trauma has occurred, another diagnosis is suspected, symptoms fail to respond as expected, or the imaging result is likely to influence clinical management.
X-rays
Role: Plain radiographs can evaluate bony anatomy and identify conditions such as fracture, osteoarthritis, substantial degenerative change, or other osseous abnormalities when clinically suspected.
Patellofemoral Assessment: Depending on the views obtained, radiographs can provide information about patellar position, trochlear morphology, joint-space changes, and other structural features.
Clinical Interpretation: Anatomical variations or radiographic abnormalities should be interpreted alongside the patient's symptoms and examination rather than assumed to be the source of pain.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Role: MRI may be considered when the diagnosis remains uncertain, significant intra-articular or soft-tissue pathology is suspected, symptoms are atypical, or imaging would alter management.
Structures Visualized: MRI provides detailed visualization of articular cartilage, subchondral bone, menisci, ligaments, tendons, retinacular structures, synovium, and other soft tissues around the patellofemoral joint.
Clinical Interpretation: Structural abnormalities on MRI do not necessarily explain the patient's symptoms. Imaging findings should be correlated with the history, clinical examination, and functional presentation rather than used alone to diagnose PFP or determine its severity.
Differential Diagnosis
Distinguishing Patellofemoral Pain From Other Causes of Knee Pain
Patellofemoral pain has a characteristic clinical presentation, but anterior knee pain can arise from several different structures and conditions. The location and behaviour of symptoms, mechanism or loading history, patient age, palpation findings, functional provocation, swelling, mechanical symptoms, and broader orthopaedic examination should all be considered when establishing a differential diagnosis.
Important conditions to consider include:
Patellar Tendinopathy (Jumper's Knee)
Patellar tendinopathy is a load-related disorder of the patellar tendon, commonly affecting athletes involved in jumping, running, acceleration, and other high-demand activities.
Key Difference: Pain is usually well localized to the patellar tendon, most commonly near the inferior pole of the patella. Patellofemoral pain is generally more diffuse around or behind the patella.
Quadriceps Tendinopathy
Quadriceps tendinopathy can also produce anterior knee pain, particularly in athletes exposed to repeated jumping, squatting, or other high knee-extensor loads.
Key Difference: Symptoms are typically localized to the quadriceps tendon near the superior pole of the patella, rather than around or behind the patella.
Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS)
ITBS is a load-related condition that commonly affects runners and cyclists and typically produces pain around the lateral femoral epicondyle.
Key Difference: Symptoms are predominantly lateral rather than anterior and are often associated with repetitive running or cycling loads.
Meniscal Injury
Meniscal pathology may produce knee pain, swelling, joint-line tenderness, and mechanical symptoms. Degenerative meniscal findings are also common and may be asymptomatic, particularly with increasing age.
Key Difference: Meniscal symptoms are more commonly associated with medial or lateral joint-line pain, effusion, restricted motion, or true mechanical locking. Clicking or catching alone does not establish a symptomatic meniscal tear.
Hoffa's Fat Pad-Related Pain
The infrapatellar fat pad can be a source of anterior knee pain, particularly when irritated or compressed.
Key Difference: Pain is often localized adjacent to the patellar tendon below the patella and may be aggravated by knee extension or prolonged standing.
Synovial Plica-Related Pain
A symptomatic synovial plica, particularly the mediopatellar plica, can produce anterior or anteromedial knee pain and may be associated with clicking or snapping.
Key Difference: Symptoms may be more anteromedial and focal, sometimes with a palpable or tender band, although the presentation can overlap considerably with PFP.
Bursitis
Prepatellar or infrapatellar bursitis may produce anterior knee pain, particularly following repetitive kneeling, direct pressure, or trauma.
Key Difference: Bursitis is generally associated with more localized tenderness and swelling over the involved bursa.
Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis
Patellofemoral osteoarthritis can produce pain during many of the same activities that provoke PFP, including squatting, stair climbing, and rising from a seated position.
Key Difference: OA becomes more relevant with increasing age and may be accompanied by persistent stiffness, reduced range of motion, and other clinical findings. Radiographs can identify structural osteoarthritic changes, but imaging findings must be interpreted in conjunction with the patient's symptoms and examination.
Referred or Neurological Pain
Symptoms experienced around the knee do not always originate from the knee itself. The lumbar spine, hip, femoral nerve, and other neurological structures can occasionally produce symptoms perceived in the anterior knee.
Key Difference: Radiating pain, sensory changes, reflex abnormalities, significant weakness, hip symptoms, or findings inconsistent with local knee loading should prompt examination beyond the knee.
Clinical Perspective
The purpose of differential diagnosis is not simply to assign a label to anterior knee pain. It is to determine whether the patient's presentation is consistent with patellofemoral pain, another condition, or a combination of problems, and to identify findings that may require additional investigation, imaging, referral, or a different management strategy.
Treatment and Rehabilitation
Management of patellofemoral pain should be individualized and active, with treatment guided by the patient's symptoms, physical capacity, activity demands, examination findings, and goals.
Exercise therapy and patient education form the foundation of rehabilitation. Knee-targeted strengthening should generally be included, with hip and broader lower-extremity strengthening incorporated when appropriate. Exercise selection, resistance, range of motion, volume, and progression should be modified according to symptom irritability and the patient's ability to tolerate patellofemoral loading.
Education is equally important. Patients should understand that pain does not necessarily indicate structural damage, that complete avoidance of activity is rarely the objective, and that rehabilitation involves progressively rebuilding the capacity to tolerate the demands of work, recreation, running, or sport.
Manual therapy, including Motion Specific Release (MSR), may be incorporated when the examination identifies relevant pain, mobility restrictions, muscle findings, or other musculoskeletal factors that interfere with movement or participation in exercise.
Rather than being used as a stand-alone treatment, manual therapy is best considered a supporting intervention within an active rehabilitation program. Current best-practice recommendations similarly position manual therapy as an adjunct selected according to the individual's presentation.
Other interventions, including taping, prefabricated foot orthoses, or movement and running retraining, may also be considered when examination findings and the patient's response indicate that they are appropriate.
Knee Release Protocol
In this video, Dr. Brian Abelson demonstrates a series of Motion Specific Release procedures for the knee and surrounding tissues.
Patellofemoral pain should not be approached by treating the location of pain alone. Examination may identify clinically relevant findings involving the quadriceps, peripatellar tissues, hamstrings, adductors, calf, hip, ankle, or other components of the lower-extremity kinetic chain.
These procedures should therefore be viewed as clinical options rather than a fixed treatment protocol. The practitioner selects and modifies treatment according to the patient's diagnosis, examination findings, symptom irritability, functional limitations, contraindications, and response to treatment.
4 Point MSR Knee Protocol
This video demonstrates four Motion Specific Release procedures designed to address mobility around the knee.
The patellofemoral joint functions within an interconnected system involving the femur, tibia, patella, muscles, tendons, ligaments, capsule, and surrounding soft tissues. Mobility restrictions may be relevant in some patients, particularly when they interfere with comfortable movement, exercise, or functional loading.
When appropriate, these procedures can be incorporated to address identified mobility restrictions. They should complement rather than replace education, progressive strengthening, load management, and functional rehabilitation.
Fascial Expansion: The MSR Knee Pain Protocol
Fascial Expansion procedures combine concepts from manual therapy, fascial anatomy, acupuncture and acupressure, and the broader MSR approach to musculoskeletal assessment and treatment.
For patients with patellofemoral pain, these procedures may be incorporated when examination identifies relevant pain, tenderness, muscle tension, mobility restrictions, or other findings around the knee or associated regions of the kinetic chain.
Treatment should not assume that fascial restrictions, muscle imbalance, or patellar misalignment are the underlying cause of PFP. Instead, Fascial Expansion procedures should be selected according to the individual's clinical presentation and response.
Within the broader rehabilitation program, Fascial Expansion is best considered an adjunct to education, progressive exercise, load management, and the gradual restoration of functional capacity.
Exercises
Exercise is a central component of rehabilitation for patellofemoral pain. The objective is to progressively improve strength, movement capacity, and tolerance to patellofemoral loading so the patient can return to the activities that matter to them.
Exercise selection should be individualized according to the patient's symptoms, examination findings, current capacity, and goals. Knee-targeted strengthening is particularly important, while hip and broader lower-extremity strengthening can be incorporated when appropriate. As capacity improves, rehabilitation can progress toward more demanding functional activities such as squatting, stepping, running, jumping, and sport-specific loading.
The following videos demonstrate two exercises that may be incorporated as part of a broader rehabilitation program.
Quadricep Lacrosse Ball Release Video
This self-release technique uses a lacrosse ball to apply pressure to selected areas of the quadriceps. Some patients find this useful for temporarily reducing feelings of muscle tension or discomfort and improving tolerance to movement or exercise.
Quadriceps self-release should not be viewed as correcting a muscle imbalance or changing the underlying structure of the patellofemoral joint. Instead, it can be used as an optional self-management strategy, particularly when the patient finds that it makes movement or subsequent exercise more comfortable.
The amount of pressure should remain tolerable, and aggressive compression over painful or irritated tissues is unnecessary.
4 Point Band Leg Strengthening Exercise Video
This resistance-band routine trains the hip and lower extremity in four directions, targeting the hip abductors, adductors, flexors, and extensors.
These muscle groups contribute to lower-extremity strength, pelvic and hip control, balance, and functional movement. Strengthening them can complement knee-targeted exercise as part of a comprehensive PFP rehabilitation program.
Resistance should be selected so the exercises can be performed with good control and then progressively increased as strength and capacity improve. Depending on the patient's goals, band exercises can eventually progress toward more demanding weight-bearing exercises, single-leg activities, running, jumping, and sport- or activity-specific training.
Suitcase Squat: Mobility & Strength
The suitcase squat is a functional strengthening exercise that combines lower-extremity loading, trunk control, balance, and mobility. Holding the resistance at one side also creates an asymmetrical load that requires the trunk and hip musculature to maintain control throughout the movement.
For patients with patellofemoral pain, squatting can be particularly useful because it progressively loads the quadriceps and patellofemoral joint while also strengthening the hips and lower extremity through a functional movement.
The depth of the squat, amount of resistance, repetitions, and tempo can all be adjusted according to the patient's symptoms and current capacity. Rehabilitation may begin with a comfortable range and lighter resistance, then progress toward deeper squatting, greater resistance, and more demanding functional activities as tolerance improves.
Some discomfort during rehabilitation does not necessarily indicate tissue damage, but loading should be appropriate to the individual's symptom irritability and recovery response.
From Knee Pain Back to Movement
Patellofemoral pain can be persistent, but it does not necessarily mean that the knee is damaged or that activity needs to be permanently restricted. For many patients, the more useful question is not simply “What structure is causing the pain?” but “What does this knee need to become capable of doing again?”
A thorough clinical examination helps establish the diagnosis, identify relevant contributing factors, rule out other causes of anterior knee pain, and determine the patient's current strength and functional capacity. Imaging may be useful when clinically indicated, but PFP remains primarily a clinical diagnosis.
Rehabilitation should then focus on progressively rebuilding capacity. Knee and hip strengthening, appropriate load management, functional exercise, and gradual exposure to activities such as squatting, stairs, running, jumping, or sport can help the patient move from symptom reduction toward greater physical capability.
Manual therapy, including Motion Specific Release (MSR), may be incorporated when examination identifies pain, mobility restrictions, or other musculoskeletal findings that interfere with movement or exercise. These procedures are most useful when integrated with education and active rehabilitation rather than viewed as a stand-alone solution.
Ultimately, successful rehabilitation is not defined simply by having less knee pain. The broader objective is to develop a stronger, more capable knee that can tolerate the demands of everyday life, work, recreation, running, or sport with greater confidence.
References
Abelson B, Abelson K, Mylonas E. A Practitioner's Guide to Motion Specific Release: Utilizing Fascial Expansions, Myofascial Release, Acupressure, Joint Mobilization, and Manipulation. 1st ed. Rowan Tree Books; 2018.
Collins NJ, Barton CJ, van Middelkoop M, et al. 2018 consensus statement on exercise therapy and physical interventions (orthoses, taping and manual therapy) to treat patellofemoral pain: recommendations from the 5th International Patellofemoral Pain Research Retreat, Gold Coast, Australia, 2017. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(18):1170-1178.
Crossley KM, Stefanik JJ, Selfe J, et al. 2016 patellofemoral pain consensus statement from the 4th International Patellofemoral Pain Research Retreat, Manchester. Part 1: terminology, definitions, clinical examination, natural history, patellofemoral osteoarthritis and patient-reported outcome measures. Br J Sports Med. 2016;50(14):839-843.
Crossley KM, van Middelkoop M, Callaghan MJ, Collins NJ, Rathleff MS, Barton CJ. 2016 patellofemoral pain consensus statement from the 4th International Patellofemoral Pain Research Retreat, Manchester. Part 2: recommended physical interventions (exercise, taping, bracing, foot orthoses and combined interventions). Br J Sports Med. 2016;50(14):844-852.
Lack S, Barton C, Sohan O, Crossley K, Morrissey D. Proximal muscle rehabilitation is effective for patellofemoral pain: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2015;49(21):1365-1376.
Lankhorst NE, Bierma-Zeinstra SMA, van Middelkoop M. Risk factors for patellofemoral pain syndrome: a systematic review. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2012;42(2):81-94.
Neal BS, Lack SD, Bartholomew C, Morrissey D. Best practice guide for patellofemoral pain based on synthesis of a systematic review, the patient voice and expert clinical reasoning. Br J Sports Med. 2024;58(24):1486-1495. British Journal of Sports Medicine
Neal BS, Lack SD, Lankhorst NE, et al. Risk factors for patellofemoral pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2019;53(5):270-281.
Smith BE, Selfe J, Thacker D, et al. Incidence and prevalence of patellofemoral pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2018;13(1):e0190892.
Willy RW, Hoglund LT, Barton CJ, et al. Patellofemoral pain. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2019;49(9):CPG1-CPG95.
Disclaimer:
The articles and embedded videos on the MSR website are provided for educational and informational purposes only. They are not a substitute for individualized assessment, diagnosis, or treatment by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Some videos demonstrate clinical examination and manual therapy procedures intended for licensed or regulated healthcare professionals with appropriate training. These procedures should be performed only within the practitioner’s legal scope of practice and should not be attempted as self-treatment.
Viewing or using this content does not establish a practitioner-patient relationship. If you have questions about a medical condition or symptoms that are new, severe, or worsening, consult an appropriately qualified healthcare provider.
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DR. BRIAN ABELSON, DC. - The Author
Dr. Brian Abelson is a chiropractor, author, and educator with more than 30 years of clinical experience in musculoskeletal care, rehabilitation, and sports performance. His educational work focuses on musculoskeletal conditions, human movement, sports biomechanics, and evidence-informed approaches to treatment and rehabilitation.
He is the developer of Motion Specific Release (MSR) and Clinical Director of Kinetic Health in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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