-
-
Featured Care Areas
Transplant
Cancer Care
Brain & Spine Care
Heart Health
Bone Health
Anterior Knee Pain (Runner's Knee or Chondromalacia Patellae)
How is anterior knee pain diagnosed?
Your doctor will need to perform a physical examination to diagnose anterior knee pain. They may also recommend one or more of the following tests:
Blood tests
Some blood tests can help to identify or rule out certain types of arthritis. Blood test results may also help to reveal inflammation, which may be causing your knee pain.
X-rays
An X-ray provides an image of your knee joint, which may help to rule out other causes of knee pain such as an injury.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
An MRI scan offers a more detailed look at the knee joint and surrounding tissues. It is often useful in identifying runner's knee.
How is anterior knee pain treated?
Treatment for anterior knee pain aims to reduce pressure on the knee. This can include:
Home care
In some cases, resting at home and icing the joint several times a day is sufficient to allow healing.
Pain relief
This may come in the form of:
- Topical formulations such as creams or patches
- Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen to reduce inflammation and swelling
- Stronger medication such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which may be prescribed if the pain or swelling is severe or persists.
Physiotherapy
Non-weight-bearing exercises such as swimming or riding a stationary bicycle can help to strengthen your quadriceps, hamstrings, adductor and abductor muscles in the hips and thighs. Physiotherapy can help to build these muscles and prevent misalignment of your knee joint.
Surgery
Arthroscopy, a minimally-invasive procedure, may be performed to allow the doctor to view the knee joint using a small camera. Your doctor may recommend one of several procedures, such as:
- Lateral release, where some ligaments are cut to release tension and make it easier to move or to smooth the back of the knee cap.
- Implanting a cartilage graft
- Relocating the insertion of the thigh muscle.
This page has been reviewed by our medical content reviewers.
RELATED ARTICLES
View all
Can a Hip Fracture Heal Without Surgery?
A hip fracture can happen due to a collision, old age, and a sedentary lifestyle. Get to know more about it, how to prevent it, and whether it can heal without surgery.
How to Tell If Your Back Pain is an Emergency
Back pain, while common, can vary widely from person to person, with different causes and severity. Here’s how to tell when medical attention is needed.
Should You Consider Surgery for Gout?
Gout is a form of arthritis that affects around 1% of the population and 6 times more men than women.
Have You Noticed These Signs of Gout?
Parkway Shenton family physician Dr Wong Pei Ying shares more about gout symptoms, risk factors of the disease, potential complications and how it can be treated.
How to Stop a Gout Attack
Dr Kannan Kaliyaperumal, orthopaedic surgeon, explains all you need to know about gout.
Are You Walking Right? Understanding Abnormal Gait
Walking is something we do every day without much thought, but have you ever wondered if you’re doing it right?
Need help?
For enquiries, please call
+65 6250 0000 (Orchard) or +65 6898 6898 (Novena)
For appointment bookings, please WhatsApp
+65 8111 7777 (Orchard) or +65 8111 5777 (Novena)
