13 Top Anterior Knee Pain Exercises For Patellofemoral Pain

Knee pain can occur at any age for a variety of reasons. More specifically, anterior knee pain is typically due to patellofemoral joint pain and is particularly frustrating because it can impact many activities of daily living. These 13 anterior knee pain exercises outlined in this post will improve knee pain and function. 

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Patellofemoral pain syndrome is defined as pain at the front of your knee or knee cap. This is also commonly referred to as Runner’s Knee. The patella tendon attaches to the patella at the front of the knee to the tibia or shin bone. When the patella tendon becomes overused it can become inflamed and cause pain in the front knee or knee joint.

Causes of Patellar Femoral Pain Syndrome 

The main cause of patellar femoral pain syndrome is overuse, especially in activities involved with running and squatting. Patellar femoral pain syndrome can also be caused by increasing the intensity of an exercise too fast.

For example, if your body is used to running 3 miles and you suddenly increase your mileage to 5 miles, you may have an increase in patellar pain syndrome. This can also occur from over working your knees in jumping sports such as basketball.

Anterior Knee Pain Causes

• Overuse
• Increase in intensity
• Misalignment of patella or knee cap

Symptoms of Anterior Knee Pain

• Pain in the front of the knee 
• Exacerbated by walking up and down stairs

Anterior Knee Pain Recovery Time

Each person will recover at a different rate, however with the correct treatment most people will be recovered in 1-2 months. Keep in mind that anterior knee pain is a very broad term and the source of the knee pain will impact the recovery time.

As always it is best to seek medical advice from your doctor and see a licensed physical therapist to evaluate your specific diagnosis. 

How Do You Fix Anterior Knee Pain?

The best way to fix anterior knee pain is with a combination of activity modification and the correct physical therapy exercises. Activity modification does not mean stopping all activity. It just means to modify the activity that you were doing.

If your anterior knee pain is due to patellofemoral pain syndrome the number 1 exercise to fix this pain is step downs.

What Muscles Should I Strengthen For Anterior Knee Pain?

You should strengthen the muscles around the knee such as the quadriceps muscles and the hamstring muscles but you should also strengthen the calf muscles (the gastrocnemius and soles muscles) and the hip and glute muscles such as the hip abductors and gluteus muscles. 

What Exercises Should You Avoid With Anterior Knee Pain?

You should avoid exercises that place excessive stress on the knee joint and patella tendon. These exercises include excessive running, excessive stair stepping, squats with heavy weight.

It is important to note that running, stair stepping and squats do not need to be avoided altogether. They just need to be modified in a way to avoid excessive stress to the anterior knee and patella tendon.

Anterior Knee Pain Treatment

The best anterior knee pain treatment is through the right exercise program that is comprised of a combination of strengthening exercises, range of motion exercises and activity modification.

This means you should be exercising and strengthening the knee and hip muscles, however you should be sure to not overdo it with an exercise or training program.

Physical Therapy Exercises

These are the 13 most effective exercises to treat anterior knee pain are physical therapy exercises focused on strengthening the muscles without putting excessive stress on the muscles.

These physical therapy exercises can be done at home but are best done with a physical therapist supervising you. These exercises can be performed by people of many activity levels. Each exercise can be modified depending on the specific person.

Anterior Knee Pain Stretches

The best anterior knee pain stretches are 1. Quad Stretch 2. Hamstring Stretch and 3. Calf Stretch. When these leg muscles become tight, it can cause you to develop compensations when walking or running, which can further exacerbate anterior knee pain.

1. Quad Stretch

• A quad stretch will stretch the muscle on the front of your thigh called the quadriceps muscles.
  • These thigh muscles include the vastus medialis oblique or VMO muscle, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius and rectus femoris.
  • These muscles can commonly get tight from sitting for extended periods of time.
• You can perform this stretch in a variety of different ways including standing, lying on your back or kneeling.
• To perform this exercise in standing you will need a great deal of knee flexion or ability to bend the knee.
• Start by standing next to a wall to balance yourself and bend the knee back that you wish to stretch.
  • Now grab your foot with your hand and hold this stretch for 30 seconds.
  • Be sure to avoid arching your back or allowing your knee to come forward. 

2. Hamstring Stretch

• The hamstring muscles are the muscles on the back of your thigh.
• The best way to stretch these muscles is with a strap.
• The starting position should be you lying on your back with your legs straight.
• If you are trying to stretch your right leg you will have your right leg straight and place a strap around your right foot and slowly lift your leg up into the air while keeping the knee straight.
• You should feel a pull in the back of the leg.
  • This should feel like a strong stretch but not painful.
  • If it is painful then don’t bring the leg up as high.
• If you don’t have a strap you can get creative and use a towel or strap instead.
• Hold this stretch for 30 seconds.

3. Calf Stretch

• The calves can get tight when you have any pain in the body especially knee pain because you tend to walk with compensations when in pain.
• To perform this stretch you will stand facing a wall.
• Start with the leg that you want to stretch behind you.
  • Now lean into the wall.
  • As your front knee bends keep your back leg straight and push your back heel down into the ground.
  • You should feel the calf muscles stretching.

Strengthening Exercises

Strengthening exercises are important in improving anterior knee pain. The best strengthening exercises for anterior knee pain are 4. Bridge 5. Clamshell 6. LAQ 7. Wall Squats 8. Bodyweight Squats 9. Step Ups / Step Downs 10. Straight Leg Raises 11. Sidleying Hip Abduction 12. Tibialis Raises 13. Hamstring Curls.

4. Bridge

• Start by lying on your back with both legs bent.
• Now squeeze your butt and lift your hips off the ground.
  • Pause at the top for 1-2 seconds and thens lowly lower your butt back down to the ground. 
• To make this more difficult you can perform a single leg bridge by bending one knee and keeping the other leg straight.
• Now squeeze your butt and lift your butt and straight leg off the ground. 

5. Clamshell

• Start by lying on your side with your knees and feet stacked on top of each other with your knees bent a resistance band wrapped above your knees.
• Now lift your top knee by pushing into the resistance band and then slowly bring the knee back to the starting position.
• This exercise strengthens the hip muscles which helps to take some of the stress off of the knees.

6. LAQ or Long Arc Quad

• You can perform this exercise in a variety of ways.
• The best way to perform this exercise is by sitting on a chair with both legs bent on the ground.
  • Now kick one of your legs straight out in front of you.
• Really focus on activating or squeezing your thigh or quad muscle as you are performing this exercise.
• You can add ankle weights or resistance bands around your ankles for added resistance. 

7. Wall Squats

• Wall squats are a great variation to the typical squat exercise because it takes some of the load from the knees and allows you to perform this exercise with decreased pain while also strengthening the muscles around the knee.
• Start by leaning against a wall with your feet about 1 foot away from the wall.
• Now slowly slide your body down the wall while squatting and then push back up to the starting position.
• If you are getting pain with this exercise then don’t slide down as far. 

8. Bodyweight Squats

• Start with your legs hip width apart.
• Now slowly bend your knees and squat down.
• Do not round your back or allow your knees to come far over your toes.
• Your back should be straight and you should be squatting down like you are trying to sit in a chair.

9. Step Ups / Step Downs

• For the step up exercise you will need a step.
• You can get creative and use a stair in your house or building or even a curb outside.
• Start by stepping up onto a step and driving your opposite knee up and past the other foot and then slowly return to the starting position.
• A step that is adjustable is best for this exercise.
• Be sure to perform this exercise near a wall or railing for safety since this exercise does involve some balance. 
• For the step down exercise you will stand on one foot, bend your knee and slowly lower yourself down to step down to the floor.
  • The key with this exercise is to not just uncontrollably let your leg stomp on the ground below you.
• The step down exercise is the best exercise for treating patellofemoral pain syndrome
• If you don’t have a step and want to avoid buying one you can find 15 Effective Alternative Exercises For Step Ups For a Full Body Work Out.

10. Straight Leg Raises: SLR Flexion

• This is a great exercise to strengthen the quadriceps muscles.
• Start by lying on your back with your affected leg straight and your opposite knee bent.
• Now tighten your quad and lift your leg straight up to the height of your other knee.
• Now slowly return the leg back to the starting position.

11. Straight Leg Raises SLR Abduction

• Start by lying on your side with your bottom knee bent and your top knee straight.
• Now lift your top leg.
• You should feel the muscles on the side of your hip working.
• Be sure to not let your leg come forward as this will cheat the exercise. 

12. Tibialis Raises

• Tibialis raises are another word for toe raises.
• Without resistance this exercise is easy so you can make it harder by using a resistance band around your feet and lifting your toes up into the resistance. 

13. Hamstring Curls

• This exercise can be performed either standing or lying on your stomach.
• To perform the standing version stand next to a wall for balance and slowly bend your knee.
• Slowly bring the knee back down to the ground.
• Be sure to avoid just letting gravity pull your leg back down.
• You want to use your hamstring muscles to slowly lower your leg down yourself.
• You can add ankle weights for added resistance.

Summary

These anterior knee pain exercises are the most effective treatment for long term knee pain relief. The key with these exercises is to be consistent by performing them 3-5 times a week and not overdoing it with excessive weight or repetitions. 

Looking for more knee exercises? You can find 9 Top Knee Exercises For Pain Relief With Pictures here.