http://www.newsone.ca/piercelandherald/stories/news-00179410.html NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People with chronic knee pain known as patellofemoral pain syndrome may find relief from exercises that strengthen and stretch the hip muscles, research suggests.
In a study of 35 adults with the condition, researchers found that when patients were able to increase their hip strength and flexibility through physical therapy, their knee pain significantly diminished.
Patellofemoral pain occurs under and around the kneecap, and often worsens after activity or long periods of sitting with the knees bent. As it moves, the kneecap tracks along the groove of the thigh bone, and incorrect alignment between these bones is thought to play a major role in patellofemoral pain.
Typically, therapy for patellofemoral pain focuses on the kneecap - akin to bringing the "train back on the track," explained Timothy Tyler, a physical therapist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and the lead author of the new study.