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Symptoms: Pain under the kneecap or at the front of the knee. It generally hurts to go up and down stairs or to kneel or squat. it also tends to hurt if you’ve been sitting too long.

Diagnosis
Patellofemoral pain syndrome This is a fancy name for a multitude of problems that cause pain around the kneecap, including the early wear of cartilage (the degeneration of the lining under the kneecap) or arthritis. It’s often attributed to an alignment issue—your kneecap is higher than it should be or sits to the outside or inside of your thigh, where your muscles aren’t as strong. Pain can also be from either flatfeet or ill-fitting shoes.

Treatment
Ice the sore spot for 20 minutes every couple of hours and take anti-inflamma-tories. Limit or stop the aggravating activity, whether it’s running, playing basketball, or using the stairclimber. Also stop doing squats or lunges until the pain subsides. This type of pain is often caused by a muscle imbalance, so you want to work on strengthening your quadriceps [front thigh muscle]. Sit with your legs extended in front of you, your back straight, and your hands on the floor behind you for support. Place a rolled towel under the knee you’re working on. Push the back of your knee into the towel, keeping your heel pressed against the floor. Hold for 10 seconds, release, and repeat. Do two sets of 15 repetitions. If you’re not feeling better within a week, schedule an appointment with your doctor—physical therapy might be in order.

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