If you have achy knee pain on or around your kneecap and have not yet been diagnosed with a patellar tracking disorder, first use the following home treatment measures:

• Take a break from activities that cause knee pain, particularly squatting, kneeling, running, and jumping. Swimming and cycling are good aerobic alternatives.
• Ice your knee regularly, particularly before and after activity.
• Use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce pain and swelling.

You may also want to try:

• Wearing a neoprene brace with a patellar cutout, if you feel that your kneecap is shifting enough to need stabilizing.
• Using supportive shoe inserts (orthotics). You can buy good-quality inserts from a shoe store or drugstore.

As your knee pain starts to subside, begin stretching and strengthening your leg. Stretching can loosen tight muscle and connective tissue that have been pulling the patella off track. Strengthening your thigh muscles can help stabilize the patella in the femoral groove as you bend and straighten your knee.¹

• Stretch your thigh muscles (quadriceps), hamstrings, iliotibial (IT) band, and Achilles tendon daily, particularly before and after activity.
• Begin thigh strengthening with isometric exercise and straight leg raises only. Progress to exercises such as quarter squats and leg presses, in which your feet are pushing against something (closed-chain exercises). Avoid knee-extension exercises in which you are raising and lowering your foot, which may further damage your unstable knee.

Patellar tracking disorder: Exercises