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Pathophysiology of Anterior Knee Pain

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Patellofemoral Pain, Instability, and Arthritis

Abstract

Anterior knee2 pain, diagnosed as patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders [61]. It is of high socioeconomic relevance as it occurs most frequently in young and active patients. The rate is around 15–33% in an active adult population and 21–45% in adolescents [36]. However, in spite of its high incidence and abundance of clinical and basic science research, its pathogenesis is still an enigma (“The Black Hole of Orthopaedics”). The numerous treatment regimes that exist for PFPS highlight the lack of knowledge regarding the etiology of pain. The present review synthesizes our research on pathophysiology [53–62] of anterior knee pain in the young patient.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Orthopaedic Surgeon, Hospital 9 de Octubre, Valencia, Spain

    Vicente Sanchis-Alfonso MD, PhD

  2. Avd Cardenal Benlloch, n° 36, 23, 46021, Valencia, Spain

    Vicente Sanchis-Alfonso MD, PhD

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  1. Vicente Sanchis-Alfonso MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Vicente Sanchis-Alfonso MD, PhD .

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  1. "Centro di Ricerca ""Codivilla-Putti""", Lab. Biomeccanica, Istituti Ortopedici Rizzoli, Via di Barbiano 1/10, Bologna, 40136, Italy

    Stefano Zaffagnini

  2. Clinique de la Sauvegante, COROLYON, Avenue Ben Gurion 8, Lyon, 69009, France

    David Dejour

  3. Dept. Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Minnesota, Riverside Ave. S. 2450, Minneapolis, 55454, USA

    Elizabeth A. Arendt

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Sanchis-Alfonso, V. (2010). Pathophysiology of Anterior Knee Pain. In: Zaffagnini, S., Dejour, D., Arendt, E. (eds) Patellofemoral Pain, Instability, and Arthritis. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-05424-2_1

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