So normally we hear the same questions regarding knee pain, but this time I think I have something new. My dad has always been a runner. Growing up, he would run 30-50 mile weeks. Recently though, he has been unable to run due to pain that he says his pain is in the front of the knee cap on the surface, right on the point of the cap, 2/3 of the way down the knee cap. The pain appears when squatting, flexing, or sometimes stepping over things. Going down stairs hurts as well, although he says that after he has gone down a couple of stairs, the pain diminishes a little. The pain though isn't consistent, some days are worse than others. Any ideas what may cause this, and what to do to treat it? (Rest hasn't seemed to work) I just moved near him and would like to have him as a training partner. Thanks.
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If I understand you correctly, you're saying that the pain is superficial as opposed to deep. Correct? It's on the surface of the kneecap facing the skin, not the surface facing the knee joint? If this is so, the first thing that comes to mind is a bone spur on the kneecap or possibly tendonitis of the patellar tendon. He's a little to old for Osgood-Schlatters disease - but that presents at the tibilal tubercle (just below the kneecap). Of course it could actually be deep to the patella, but referring the pain superficially. That would lead toward patellar-femoral syndrome (chondromalacia), which is very likely given his history, or maybe just plain old arthritis. What I would suggest is an examination by a good sports orthopedist, to include xrays. That'll probably define the problem at hand and allow a plan of care to be developed so that he can rehab the knee and get back in to action.