How to Self-Diagnose and FIX your Knee Pain
- Dr. Michael Blanco PT, DPT
- Oct 1, 2025
- 3 min read
Knee pain is one of the most common complaints among athletes, especially runners, basketball players, and active adults. But here’s the challenge… not all knee pain is the same. Two of the most common culprits, patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) and patellar tendinitis (jumper’s knee), can feel similar at first but require totally different approaches for recovery.
At Rival Physical Therapy in Wyckoff, we specialize in helping athletes and active individuals understand what’s causing their pain, and more importantly, how to fix it. That’s exactly why we created our free Knee Pain E-Book. A simple, self-guided tool to help you narrow down what type of knee pain you’re experiencing and start taking the right steps toward recovery.
What Is Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS)?
Also known as “runner’s knee,” PFPS is pain at the front of the knee, around or underneath the kneecap. It happens when the kneecap doesn’t track smoothly in its groove.
Common signs of PFPS:
Dull ache around the kneecap
Pain when running, squatting, climbing stairs, or sitting for long periods
Often worsens with activities that involve repeated knee bending
Research shows PFPS is often linked to hip and quadriceps weakness, altered movement patterns, and poor knee alignment during activity (Barton et al., 2015, British Journal of Sports Medicine).
What Is Patellar Tendinitis?
Patellar tendinitis, or “jumper’s knee,” is an overuse injury of the tendon connecting the kneecap to the shinbone.
Common signs of patellar tendinitis:
Pain directly below the kneecap
Worse with jumping, sprinting, or squatting
Tenderness along the patellar tendon
Studies show patellar tendinopathy is strongly associated with repetitive load and tendon stress, especially in jumping and running athletes (Cook & Purdam, 2014, British Journal of Sports Medicine).
Why Knowing the Difference Matters
Although both conditions involve the knee, the treatment strategies differ.
PFPS rehab focuses on hip and quad strengthening, movement retraining, and flexibility.
Patellar tendinitis rehab emphasizes tendon loading through isometric and eccentric exercises to restore tendon capacity.
If you try to treat them the same way, you risk prolonging your pain or even making it worse.
How Our Knee Pain E-Book Helps
The Knee Pain E-Book we’ve created is a step-by-step guide that:
Helps you identify whether your pain is more consistent with PFPS or patellar tendinitis using simple self-tests (like squatting and hop testing).
Gives you starter exercises tailored to each condition.
For patellar tendinitis: isometrics like wall sits, decline lunge holds, and Spanish squats reduce tendon pain and build strength.
For PFPS: banded fire hydrants, single-leg squats with bands, and hip flexor stretches improve alignment, stability, and tracking of the kneecap.
Outlines safe progression so you can reduce pain while building resilience.
The evidence backs this approach:
Isometric loading reduces tendon pain and builds capacity (Rio et al., 2015, British Journal of Sports Medicine).
Hip and knee strengthening reduces PFPS symptoms and improves function (Willy & Davis, 2011, Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy).
The Bottom Line
Not all knee pain is created equal. Knowing whether you’re dealing with PFPS or patellar tendinitis is the first step toward getting better and doing the right exercises from the start can be the difference between lingering pain and a strong, pain-free comeback.
That’s why we created the Knee Pain E-Book to give athletes and active adults in Wyckoff and beyond a simple, science-based resource they can trust.
👉 Download the Knee Pain E-Book now and take the first step toward fixing your knee pain the right way.
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