Diagnosis of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
1. Physical Examination
During the physical examination, your doctor will discuss your general health and the symptoms you are experiencing. He or she will ask when your knee pain started and about the severity and nature of the pain (dull vs. sharp). Your doctor will also ask you what activities cause the pain to worsen.

To determine the exact location of the pain, your doctor may gently press and pull on the front of your knees and kneecaps. He or she may also ask you to squat, jump, or lunge during the exam in order to test your knee and core body strength.

To help diagnose the cause of your pain and to rule out any other physical problems, your doctor may also check:

Alignment of the lower leg and the position of the kneecap

Knee stability, hip rotation, and range of motion of knees and hips

The kneecap for signs of tenderness

The attachment of thigh muscles to the kneecap

Strength, flexibility, firmness, and tone of the hips, front thigh muscles (quadriceps), and back thigh muscles (hamstrings)

Tightness of the heel cord and flexibility of the feet

Finally, your doctor may ask you to walk back and forth in order to examine your gait (the way you walk). He or she will look for problems with your gait that may be contributing to your knee pain.

2. X-Rays
Usually, your doctor will be able to diagnose patellofemoral pain syndrome with just a physical examination. In most cases, however, he or she also will order an x-ray to rule out damage to the structure of the knee and to the tissues that connect to it.