The Diagnosis and Initial Treatment of Patellofemoral Disorders.

Our purpose is to provide simple guidelines for the diagnosis and early care of patellofemoral disorders. Any clinician who treats knee problems, including family practitioners, rheumatologists, orthopedic surgeons, or physical therapists, must know how to make the correct diagnosis, or at least a presumptive diagnosis, at the initial visit. This can avoid unneeded and costly tests, ineffective treatment, and even damaging exercises and unnecessary surgery. The diagnosis of patellofemoral disorders is confusing because they can have many causes. That is, the etiology of patellofemoral disorders is multifactorial. To dispel this confusion and simplify the process, we use a clinical classification based on etiology. Within that framework are 7 key abnormalities or factors that can cause both patellofemoral pain and instability: vastus medialis obliquus deficiency, medial patellofemoral ligament laxity, lateral retinaculum tightness, increased quadriceps angle, hip abductor weakness, patella alta, and trochlear dysplasia. At the initial evaluation, the clinician can assess for these abnormalities through history-taking, physical examination, and standard radiography. Any abnormalities identified, along with their severity, can be used to arrive at a diagnosis, or a presumptive diagnosis, and begin early nonoperative treatment. The clinician does not need magnetic resonance imaging at this point, unless a presumptive diagnosis cannot be made or a more complex problem is suggested.

Iatrogenic Medial Patellar Instability: An Avoidable Injury.

Iatrogenic medial patellar instability is a specific condition that frequently causes incapacitating anterior knee pain, severe disability, and serious psychological problems. The diagnosis should be suspected in a patient who has undergone previous patellar realignment surgery that has made the pain worse. The diagnosis can be established by physical examination and simple therapeutic tests (e.g., "reverse" McConnell taping) and confirmed by imaging techniques. This iatrogenic condition should no longer exist and could almost be eliminated by avoiding over-release of the lateral retinaculum.

Results of isolated lateral retinacular reconstruction for iatrogenic medial patellar instability.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the outcomes of an isolated lateral retinaculum reconstruction for iatrogenic medial patellar instability (IMPI) in patients with continued pain after failed lateral retinacular release (LRR), including associated psychometric analysis. METHODS: Pain was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) and disability was determined with the Lysholm scale. Psychological variables such as anxiety, depression, catastrophizing, and fear-of-movement beliefs were studied by using self-administered psychometric questionnaires. RESULTS: All 17 patients (13 women and 4 men) in this retrospective study had undergone LRR previously for anterior knee pain or lateral patellar instability. Four patients had undergone LRR plus proximal (Insall) realignment, and one had undergone LRR plus a medial tibial tubercle transfer. After their procedures, all had disabling symptoms. All patients underwent reconstructive surgery for IMPI. At a minimum follow-up of 2 years (range, 2 to 8 years), the mean preoperative VAS score was 7.6 (range, 5 to 9) and improved to 1.9 (range, 0 to 8) at the time of final follow-up (P < .001). The mean preoperative Lysholm score was 36.4 (range, 20 to 55), and the knee was described as bad (<65 points) in all cases. Postoperatively, it improved to 86.1 (range, 70 to 94) at final follow-up (P < .001). Before surgery, 4 patients (24%) had the clinical criteria for depression, 10 (59%) had anxiety, 7 (41%) had "catastrophizing" ideas concerning pain, and all (100%) had kinesiophobia (fear of movement). After surgery, none of the patients had depression or anxiety, none had catastrophizing ideation, and only 53% had kinesiophobia. CONCLUSIONS: Reconstruction of the deep transverse layer of the lateral retinaculum (LR) using a central strip of the iliotibial band for IMPI in patients with continued pain after failed LRR can successfully treat these severely disabled patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, therapeutic case series.

Prevalence of abnormal patellofemoral congruence in elite American football players and association with quadriceps isokinetic testing.

Abnormal patellofemoral joint alignment has been discussed as a potential risk factor for patellofemoral disorders and can impact the longevity of any elite athlete's career. The prevalence of abnormal patellofemoral congruence in elite American football athletes is similar to the general population and does not have a relationship with quadriceps isokinetic testing. A total of 125 athletes (220 knees) from the 2011 National Football League (NFL) Combine database who had radiographic and isokinetic studies were reviewed. Congruence angles (CA) and lateral patellofemoral angles (LPA) were calculated on a Merchant radiographic view. Isokinetic testing was used to determine quadriceps-to-hamstring strength (Q/H) ratio and side-to-side deficits. The relationships between abnormal CA and LPA with Q/H ratios, side-to-side deficits, and body mass index (BMI) were examined in separate logistic regression models. A Chi-square test was used to examine the association between CA and player position. Of all, 26.8% of the knees (95% CI: 21.1-33.2%) had an abnormal CA. Knees with normal CA (n = 161) did not significantly differ from those with an abnormal CA (n = 59) in Q/H ratios (mean: 0.699 vs. 0.728, p = 0.19) or side-to-side quadriceps deficits (mean: 4.0 vs. 1.24, p = 0.45). For each point increase in BMI, the odds ratio (OR) of abnormal congruence increased by 11.4% (p = 0.002). Of all the knees, 4.1% (95% CI: 1.9-7.6%) had an abnormal LPA, and this was not associated with Q/H ratios (p = 0.13). For each point increase in BMI, the odds of abnormal LPA increased by 16% (p = 0.036). CA abnormality had much higher odds of having an abnormal LPA (OR: 5.96, p = 0.014). We found that abnormal patellofemoral radiographic alignment in elite American football players is relatively common and there was no association with isokinetic testing.

Early results with a total patellofemoral joint replacement arthroplasty prosthesis.

This report concerns a new prosthesis for total patellofemoral joint replacement. Patients severely disabled due to isolated patellofemoral arthritis in whom all other treatment options had been tried and failed, or were not indicated, became candidates for this surgery. Fifteen patients met these criteria and were followed an average of 3.75 years (range: 2.25-5.5 years). Using the Activities of Daily Living Scale, 14 of 15 patients (93%) had excellent (85%-100%) or good (75%-84%) results, and 1 was fair (65%-74%).