The Role of the Hip and Gluteal Muscles in Patellofemoral Pain

Anterior knee pain also known as Patellofemoral Pain is often treated as a local knee problem, yet many contributing factors originate higher in the kinetic chain. Increasingly, clinicians recognise the role of the hip and gluteal muscles in controlling lower limb alignment and patellofemoral joint loading. When proximal control is reduced, movement patterns such as femoral internal rotation and dynamic valgus may alter patellofemoral mechanics. Understanding how hip function influences knee symptoms can help practitioners move beyond purely local treatment approaches and apply more effective clinical reasoning.

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Diagram illustrating how hip and gluteal muscles influence knee pain, emphasizing muscle control, dynamic valgus impact, and the benefits of hip strengthening for reducing stress on the patellofemoral joint.