Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is the most common chronic pathology in sports medicine and physiotherapy clinics. As pain and inflammation are the main symptoms of PFP, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications are often utilized to decrease pain and inflammation; however alternative treatments are increasingly being sought due to the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal side effects of traditional pain medications. Most researchers advocate conservative treatment, though there is still insufficient clarity regarding the effectiveness of conservative treatment modalities. Dietary interventions for PFP have not received any attention in clinical literature, yet there is a growing body of evidence indicating that cherries have significant anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and pain-mediating effects.

Therefore, the primary purpose of the proposed investigation was to test (using a randomized control investigation) the ability of a tart cherry juice blend to provide symptom relief in recreational athletes with PFP and to understand the biological and mechanical mechanisms behind any changes in PFP symptoms.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Recreationally active
• Suffering from mild to moderate patellofemoral pain with no evidence of any other condition.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Rheumatoid arthritis or other systemic inflammatory condition
• Chronic pain syndrome
• Corticosteroid medication in last 2 months (intra-articular or oral)
• Intra-articular injections of hyaluronic acid in the last 9 months
• Pregnancy
• Diabetes
• Food allergies to cherries.