One of the most frustrating categories of pain syndromes for physical therapists to address is patella femoral pain disorders. Individuals who suffer from these disorders are often unable to report exactly where the pain is located or what brings it on. Fortunately, no matter the cause, many of the recommendations for management are the same. All of the following are proper recommendations for participating in group exercise with patella femoral pain EXCEPT:
Explanation
Answer: B - When cycling, the seat should be raised as high as feasible to reduce the amount of flexion in the knee during the entire cycle. Individuals who suffer with patella femoral pain disorders have some element of dysfunction in the extensor mechanism of their knee. Whether the dysfunction is due to chondromalacia, patellar tendinitis, anterior knee pain or poor tracking of the patella, the key to management is to reduce the load on the knee, especially when it is flexed. When performing weight training, care should be taken to avoid excessive repetitions of knee extension exercises, especially deep squats or open chain knee extensions.
