Patella Femoral Syndrome or "runner's knee" is a common condition that involves inflammation of the patellar tendon in the knee. It can cause pain, clicking, grinding noises in the knee and overall discomfort. Misalignment of the knee joint contributes to the inflammation of the patellar tendon. Repetitive motion such as running, jumping or even riding a stationary bike can cause this condition. Other factors that contribute to the misalignment of the knee joint are weakness in the muscles surrounding it. The cartilage also deteriorates under the patella (knee cap). When the cartilage begins to "wear and tear" more pressure placed onto the knee joint which results in the knee cap going out of alignment. When that happens the knee cap ceases to glide properly over the femur (thigh bone). Normally the knee cap moves along a groove on the femur. When the knee cap isn't properly aligned in the groove, you experience pain under the knee cap.
I was diagnosed with patella femoral syndrome in my knees years ago. I often experienced the humiliating sound of grinding and clicking in my knees as I walked up and down stairs. I sounded like a robot. Others have experienced cracking or popping sounds when squatting, standing up, or going up and down stairs. My doctor prescribed a series of leg exercises to strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee joint to help ease my symptoms. While the exercises did offer relief after a period of time, once I stopped doing them, the symptoms returned. I was looking for something that would offer long-term relief and didn't have debilitating side-effects.
I came upon an all-natural supplement containing glucosamine and a proprietary blend of all-natural substances which took away the grinding and pain in my knees in a matter of weeks. I would still encourage you to exercise your knees if you're already doing so to strengthen the surrounding muscles, but for added benefit to promote healing of your knee joints and to treat the deteriorating cartilage and inflammation, I recommending taking an all-natural supplement containing glucosamine sulfate.
Glucosamine is an amino sugar found in the body that is necessary for the construction of connective tissue and healthy cartilage. It is the critical building block that forms these tissues. This contributes to the formation of large protein molecules that act like a sponge to hold water giving connective tissues elasticity and cushioning effects. This also provides a protective sheath to help protect against excessive wear and tear of the joints. Without glucosamine, our tendons, ligaments, and other body tissues will not form properly. Normally our bodies produce sufficient levels of glucosamine to form the various compounds needed to build connective tissue and healthy cartilage. As we age, or with increased activity, our bodies may not be able to keep up with the demand.
For optimum health benefits, I recommend pharmaceutical grade glucosamine. Pharmaceutical grade means 99% pure without any additives or unnecessary substances which could cause unwanted side-effects. Pharmaceutical grade products can cost a little more, but the difference is small and worth every penny. Here's the bottom line: A cheap supplement will not be properly absorbed into your body. A slightly more expensive pharmaceutical grade supplement is metabolized and absorbed well.
