Three kneecap pain when bending the knee causes in O’Fallon, MO

Kneecap Pain When Bending Knee

There it is again. You bend your knee to sit down, and you feel a sharp pain near your kneecap. At first, you might write off this pain as something caused by a bump on the knee. However, as the pain continues to happen, you may start to wonder if there’s a more serious cause. Here are three issues that could be causing your kneecap pain when bending the knee in O’Fallon, Missouri: 

  1. Knee bursitis

One issue that could be the cause of the pain you feel around the kneecap when bending the knee is bursitis. Bursae are thin sacs filled with fluid, and their job is to provide cushioning between bones and soft tissue like skin or muscle. There is a bursa on top of your kneecap, which is why knee bursitis could be causing your pain. This condition is often caused by repetitive movements that irritate the bursae, and these repetitive movements can include bending your knee as you run or lifting objects at home or at work. 

  1. Dislocated kneecap

Another issue that could cause kneecap pain when bending the knee is a dislocated kneecap. This condition is known as patellar dislocation to doctors, and it’s when the kneecap slides out of place as the knee moves. Kneecap dislocation is often the result of an impact to the knee or a sudden change of direction, and both of these factors are common to sports like football, rugby or soccer. The symptoms of a dislocated kneecap can include pain, difficulty straightening the knee and swelling. 

  1. Patellar tendinitis

There is a ligament that connects the kneecap to the top of the shinbone, and for some reason, this structure is called the patellar tendon. If you overdo your exercising, this structure can become irritated and inflamed. When this happens, the condition is known as patellar tendinitis. Since the patellar tendon stretches as your knee bends, you’re likely to experience pain at the bottom of the kneecap when you have patellar tendinitis. 

Excel Sports & Physical Therapy offers help for kneecap pain when bending the knee in O’Fallon, MO

At our O’Fallon clinic, the Excel Sports & Physical Therapy team offers treatment for many injuries and medical conditions. Using one of our free screenings, we can help you find out what’s causing your kneecap pain when bending the knee. Once we have pinpointed the cause of your pain, we’ll create a personalized therapy plan designed to reduce your pain, and this plan may use therapy methods such as: 

Don’t wait to get our help with your knee pain. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.