What is Anterior Knee Pain (AKP)?

AKP is a term used for a range of conditions; there are a number of possible causes. Common causes of AKP include: over pronation, patella maltracking or patella tendonitis. It may also be related to overuse e.g. in individuals who are keen on sports such as running.

Symptoms

As the term suggests, pain will usually be at the anterior or front part of the knee either behind or just below the patella (knee cap) though it may also radiate to the medial (inner) side.

Treatments

Treatment is dependent on the particular factor most responsible for the symptoms but suitable orthoses include:

• pull-on knee sleeve with donut to improve patella tracking

• Functional foot orthotics to improve foot biomechanics and knee alignment can be beneficial.