Patella Pain Relief

The patella refers to the bone most commonly known as the kneecap. The patella is attached to the thigh muscles on top and the tibia---or leg bone---on the bottom. The back side of the kneecap is covered with smooth cartilage allowing the knee to easily flex up and down when you extend your leg. The most common cause of knee pain comes from injuries, falls and arthritis.

Pain Medication

• The first step in addressing patella pain is to minimize inflammation. Dr. Alexander Sapega of the Knee and Shoulder Centers of New Jersey and Pennsylvania recommends nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Advil and Motrin, both of which are available over the counter. For more moderate pain, your doctor can prescribe the nonhabit-forming painkiller tramadol (brand name Ultram). Because tramadol is an extended-release drug, it is beneficial in treating chronic pain, and unlike narcotic painkillers such as hydrocodone, it is not addictive. When your pain is severe, however, you cannot avoid taking a narcotic painkiller. As long as you stick to taking your medication as your doctor advises, drugs such as Vicodin and Percocet can be very safe.

Physical Therapy

• Another way to eliminate pain is physical therapy. Doctors at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation recommend a strengthening program for the muscles around your knee. Dr. Warren King MD, a board certified orthopedic surgeon, claims that there is an estimated 90 percent recovery rate for patella pain when patients successfully strengthen the quadriceps muscles. Developing the quadriceps allows these muscles, instead of your kneecap, to absorb the pressure of movement. Some quadriceps exercises that you can do with a physical therapist include leg presses, extensions and squats.

  With any kind of muscular injury, first consult an orthopedic surgeon or a physical therapist before staring a new exercise and stretching routine. Exercise your knee at least three times a week. If any activity exacerbates the patella pain, refrain from those activities until the pain subsides.

Lifestyle Changes

• Being overweight and obese can add to any kind of joint pain. The knees, however, are especially susceptible because they bear the full weight of your body. Losing weight with diet and exercise can take a tremendous amount of pressure off your knees and even reduce or eliminate pain caused by injury, accident or arthritis.

Other Ways to Relieve Pain

• Applying an ice pack or cold compress to your knee three times a day for five to twenty minutes will help reduce swelling. Keeping your leg elevated also prevents fluids from building up in the knee tissues. Wearing a knee brace will keep your joint steady. If your pain is severe, you may need to wear a brace and use crutches for several weeks so that your patella has time to heal.