Besides pain below the knee joint during exercise, a bony lump painful to the touch could appear below the knee cap. This disease usually disappears without treatment, but patients are usually advised to limit their sporting activities until the inflammation is relieved. In young adults the articular cartilage of the kneecap might soften because of trauma, overuse, or muscle weakness. This is a condition called chondromalacia , which causes the knee-cap to rub on the end of the thigh bone, causing a dull pain around or under the kneecap that is worse when walking down stairs or hills. It is common in runners, skiers, cyclists and soccer players.
Treatment is to perform low-impact exercise to strengthen muscles.
In severe cases surgery may be needed to reposition the kneecap and relieve friction. Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome is signalled by pain on the outside of the knee or lower thigh. The iliotibial band is a group of fibres running outside of the thigh from the hip to the outer side of the shin bone, just below the knee joint. The band can become inflamed because of overuse or bad physical training. Strong leg muscles benefit the knee walk up stairs, hills or ride a stationary bicycle to strengthen muscles, or indulge in supervised weight workouts.