Two causes of kneecap pain in Harmony, PA

Kneecap Pain When Bending the Knee

The knee is a joint that’s very active in the activities most people do every day, and this joint is key to movements like walking, sitting and jumping. However, repetitive knee movements can lead to many types of knee pain. An example would be a runner who feels pain in their kneecap when bending their knee, and there are two knee injuries that can cause this type of pain in Harmony, Pennsylvania.

  1. Prepatellar bursitis

A knee injury that often leads to pain around the kneecap when bending the knee is prepatellar bursitis. Bursitis is a condition where the cushioning sacs around joints become inflamed. The proper name for these sacs is bursae, which is where the name of this condition comes from. Bursitis can easily lead to pain on the kneecap when bending the knee; there’s a bursa right on top of your knee cap, and this bursa can become painful and inflamed. Often, these symptoms are the result of repetitive bending movements of the knee. These movements cause the patellar tendon to irritate the bursa. 

There are several people who are more likely to develop prepatellar bursitis. Several forms of sports can lead to a higher risk of this condition, including football, soccer and rugby, because these sports are likely to lead to impacts on the knee. It’s the increased risk of knee impacts that also leads to an increased risk of prepatellar bursitis. Besides knee pain, this condition can lead to several other symptoms. Your knee might feel warm, and it can also be tender to the touch. Many people with this issue also notice swelling in their knee. 

  1. Patellar tendinitis

Another injury that can lead to kneecap pain when bending the knee is patellar tendinitis. The patellar tendon runs across the kneecap; its job is to attach the kneecap to the shinbone. This tendon can also be injured while playing sports. 

Specifically, sports that include repetitive jumping movements can cause players to develop patellar tendinitis. An example of such a sport is volleyball. Basketball players are also at increased risk of this condition. Repetitive jumping isn’t the only reason these sports are more likely to cause patellar tendinitis. Another factor of these sports that puts players at risk of this injury is the hard playing surfaces they use. In addition, issues like tight muscles and landing badly from a jump are more likely to happen during these sports. 

Get help with your knee injury at Panther Physical Therapy in Harmony, PA

Panther Physical Therapy is proud to offer help for many types of knee pain at our Harmony clinic. Our team can help you learn the source of your pain with a free screening, and we can use the data gathered from your screening to build you a personalized treatment plan. This plan will be designed using many beneficial therapy methods, and some of these methods may include: 

Contact us today for more information or to schedule an appointment to begin treating your knee pain.