Anterior knee pain in the athlete

Laurie Anne Hiemstra; Sarah Kerslake; Christopher Irving

doi:10.1016/j.csm.2014.03.010

Anterior knee pain in the athlete

Clin Sports Med. 2014 Jul;33(3):437-59. doi: 10.1016/j.csm.2014.03.010. Epub 2014 May 24.

Authors

Laurie Anne Hiemstra¹, Sarah Kerslake², Christopher Irving³

Affiliations

¹ Banff Sport Medicine, PO Box 1300, Banff, Alberta T1L 1B3, Canada; Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Banff Sport Medicine, PO Box 1300, Banff, Alberta T1L 1B3, Canada; Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alberta, 8205 114 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G4, Canada.
³ Banff Sport Medicine, PO Box 1300, Banff, Alberta T1L 1B3, Canada.

PMID: 24993409
DOI: 10.1016/j.csm.2014.03.010

Abstract

Given that the patellofemoral joint is one of the most highly loaded in the human body, the high prevalence of anterior knee pain (AKP) in athletes is unsurprising. Athletes with AKP present a significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. A clear understanding of the etiology of patellofemoral pain in this population is essential in guiding a focused history and physical examination, and achieving an appropriate diagnosis and treatment approach. This clinical review provides an assessment framework and a guide for neuromuscular function testing, and an overview of the causes and treatments of AKP in this challenging patient population.

Keywords: Anterior knee pain; Muscle strength; Patellofemoral kinematics; Patellofemoral pain; Quadriceps.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Athletic Injuries / diagnosis*
Athletic Injuries / physiopathology
Athletic Injuries / therapy
Humans
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome / diagnosis*
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome / physiopathology
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome / therapy