Females are more likely to suffer chondromalacia
Kneecap pain is far more likely to occur in females than males and in those whose feet pronate or roll in. In females, the hips are wider than they are in males and the thigh bone has to angle in towards the knee. This makes a line drawn between the upper and lower attachments of these muscles pass to the outside edge of the femoral groove. The kneecap is contained within the tendon of these muscles and when they contract, there is already a propensity for the kneecap to want to move off course within its groove. In pronators (people whose feet roll in), not only are the feet affected but shin bone will rotate inwards (towards knock knee) taking the lower attachment of the muscles with it – further angling the course of the muscle. This has the same affect as described above for females. This means that men can experience these effects but also that women who pronate are much more likely to be the worst sufferers.
For more information about foot related knee pain, please browse to our Kneecap Pain Info Sheet. Alternately, use this link to return to our Podiatry FAQs Blog.
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