You have indicated that you have a kneecap injury

Below are some specific descriptions of symptoms related to a running kneecap injury or kneecap pain.

Decide which description most closely matches the kneecap problem you are experiencing then click on
the button next to it. You will be presented with a likely diagnosis for your knee injury and advice as to
what to do.

You can diagnose other running injuries here.

  • Step 1
  • Step 2
  • Step 3 - current step
  • Step 4

Click on the description that most closely matches your symptoms:

Symptom 1

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  • Pain and tenderness on the inside of the knee at the same level as the lower edge of the kneecap.
  • Pain on running, particularly uphill and downhill.
  • Usually there is no swelling.
  • When you bend your knee a little and apply pressure with your hand onto the outside of the knee, this may recreate the pain.
  • An acute episode can be caused by a sudden twisting of the knee, but often people with knock knees, or who run continuously on a camber, or have a gait problem can suffer a chronic insidious pain.

Symptom 2

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  • Pain and tenderness on the outside of the knee at the same level as the lower edge of the kneecap.
  • Pain on running, particularly uphill and downhill.
  • Usually there is no swelling.
  • When you bend your knee a little and exert pressure onto the inside of the knee joint this may recreate the symptoms, or if you cross the affected leg over the other one and push the knee down towards the floor, which stretches the ligament.
  • An acute episode can be caused by a sudden twisting of the knee, but often people with bow legs, or who run continuously on a camber, or have a gait problem can suffer a chronic insidious pain.

Symptom 3

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  • Deep aching pain in the knee, especially with movement.
  • Knee may be swollen.
  • Stiffness in the knee, particularly in the morning, which decreases as you start to move around and warm up.
  • You may have pain at night.
  • A crunching or grinding sound as you bend your knees whilst standing.
  • Symptoms develop slowly over time.
  • The knee does not show a full range of movement, either with bending or straightening, and may be painful at the end of range of the movements.
  • You may have noticed that you are starting to limp, and favour the other leg.
  • The affected knee may be larger than the other (regardless of any swelling).

Symptom 4

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  • Pain just above or on the upper part of the kneecap during and after exercise.
  • You may get pain when you are getting up from a crouched position.
  • Bending the knee to its full amount and then trying to straighten against resistance may reproduce pain.
  • If you contract your front thigh muscles with your leg straight you might also get pain.
  • Pain can also be felt when pressing into the soft area along the top of the kneecap.
  • Stiffness the day after training can also occur.
  • Tends to be more common in runners over the age of 40.

Symptom 5

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  • Pain at the bottom and front of the kneecap when pressing into the patellar tendon (which runs south from the knee cap).
  • Pain, aching and stiffness is present not just during and after running, but when doing normal everyday activities.
  • It may prevent you from training at all.
  • Pain when you forcibly contract your front thigh muscles (straightening your knee strongly).
  • The affected tendon may appear larger than the unaffected side.
  • You may be weak in the calf, and therefore find it more effort to stand on tip toe on the affected side.

Symptom 6

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  • Pain at the bottom and front of the kneecap when pressing into the patellar tendon (which runs south from the knee cap).
  • Pain, aching and stiffness is present from the beginning of a run, all through the run, and afterwards, taking time to subside.
  • It prevents you from training or performing at your best.
  • Pain when you forcibly contract your front thigh muscles (straightening your knee strongly).
  • The affected tendon may appear larger than the unaffected side.
  • You may be weak in the calf, and therefore find it more effort to stand on tip toe on the affected side.

Symptom 7

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  • Pain at the bottom and front of the kneecap when pressing into the patellar tendon (which runs south from the knee cap).
  • Pain, aching and stiffness may be present at the beginning of a run, subside after a while and then return at the end of the run or afterwards.
  • Pain when you forcibly contract your front thigh muscles (straightening your knee strongly).
  • The affected tendon may appear larger than the unaffected side.
  • You may be weak in the calf, and therefore find it more effort to stand on tip toe on the affected side.

Symptom 8

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  • Pain at the bottom and front of the kneecap when pressing into the patellar tendon, which runs south from the knee cap.
  • Pain, aching and stiffness are present at the end of a run or afterwards.
  • Pain when you forcibly contract your front thigh muscles (straightening your knee strongly).
  • The affected tendon may appear larger than the unaffected side.
  • You may be weak in the calf, and therefore find it more effort to stand on tip toe on the affected side.

Symptom 9

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  • Occurs only in young athletes, particularly between 11-15 (during puberty), and more in boys than girls.
  • A bony swollen lump appears at the tibial tuberosity, the bony bit at the top of the shin just below the kneecap.
  • Tenderness to touch, and pain on the tibial tuberosity during and after exercise.
  • Pain when trying to straighten the knee against resistance, or when contracting the front thigh muscles with the leg straight.
  • It may be impossible to do more than a short amount of exercise before the pain comes on.

Symptom 10

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  • Pain focussed in the front of the knee below the kneecap, either side of the tendon running downwards from the kneecap.
  • The pain can be sharp and last for hours or days once the fat pad is irritated.
  • Pain is worse when going up and down stairs or squatting.
  • Swelling may be present either side of the tendon running south from the kneecap.
  • With your knee bent, if you squeeze the tendon below the kneecap between your fingers, and then hold this squeeze while you straighten your leg, you may feel pain.
  • It is more common in people who have hypermobile knees which bend slightly backwards when you straighten them.

Symptom 11

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  • A gradually developing, aching pain in the front of the knee joint, on the inside, under, or beneath the kneecap.
  • The pain is aggravated when the knee is performing under a high load, such as when going up or downstairs, when running particularly up or downhill, or after sitting for a long time (known as the theatre sign!).
  • Often there is some swelling present around the kneecap.
  • Often caused by a biomechanical imbalance in the pelvis, hips, knees, ankles or feet.