I have knee pain anytime I sit for extended amounts of time, whether at work or traveling in the car.  It really doesn’t bother me other than that, except occasionally on stairs, and I don’t remember ever injuring it.  Should I see someone or will this go away by itself? 

This representation of pain that you describe is one of the more common clinical conditions managed in orthopaedic and sports medicine settings.  The thought of going to a physician to diagnose pain that typically is not present all the time can often sound foolish.  Although sometimes it can be beneficial in regard to the use of diagnostic testing such as an X-Ray to show bony abnormalities that might be causing the pain, or to give medications to help decrease the pain.  However, medication may only mask the pain and will often not get at the source of the problem and the pain will keep reoccurring as the problem still exists.  This is where a Physical Therapist can help.  They can help to diagnose the problem and determine an individualized program of exercise that can help to alleviate the pain.  What you describe is often a condition called Patellofemoral Syndrome.  The primary complaint is pain, often with sitting in a flexed position for extended amounts of time.  There can also be complaints of the knee giving way, popping or cracking in the knee, and variable patterns of pain with walking and navigating stairs.  Many times this pain can be caused simply by muscular imbalances secondary to decreased strength or flexibility. A Physical Therapist can help identify where the imbalances are and establish an exercise regimen to help correct the problem and decrease the pain.

Jessica King, PT