A panel of experts in patellofemoral pain have published a paper with their recommendations based on the most up to date research in the field.  This paper is available in an Open Access format and can be downloaded from the British Journal of Sports Medicine and you can download the pdf version for free.  There are several recommendations including exercise therapy and custom orthotics.

Custom foot orthotics are recommended for the treatment of patellofemoral pain, but the panel cautioned that a proper gait and strength assessment must be performed first to determine whether they are suited to the patient’s foot and lower limb mechanics.

The article spends a lot of time on exercise rehabilitation and specifically recommends strengthening of the hips (glutes) and not just the knee.

Other recommendations include patella taping and bracing.

As with all sports injuries, especially the chronic ones, it usually takes a combination of treatments to get back to performing activities pain free.  A proper assessment including strength and functional tests as well as gait analysis can pinpoint areas of weakness and poor mobility and inform clinical treatment.

At Align Orthotics and Rehab we excel at gait analysis, orthotics, and exercise rehabilitation, but we also collaborate with local physiotherapists, massage therapist, and personal trainers to provide the most complete treatment.  As the BJofSM article stresses, not all patients will require all treatments, meaning that sometimes the best treatment can be a referral to the appropriate practitioner.