Patellofemoral Dysfunction: Bryttni Pugh

Patellofemoral dysfunction or patellofemoral pain syndrome is an extensor mechanism

injury in which pain is felt at the front of the knee, and around or under the kneecap. The

patellofemoral joint is comprised of several complicated structures due to its large size. Above

the patella there are the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, sartorius, iliotibial band,

and quadriceps tendon. Around the patella there are the medial patellar retinaculum, lateral

patellofemoral ligament, medial patellofemoral ligament, lateral patellar retinaculum, capsule of

knee joint, lateral patellotibial ligament, and medial patellotibial ligament. Below the patella are

the patellar tendon, fibula, tibial tuberosity, and tibia. The dysfunction primarily affects the

patella and femur, accompanied with the quadriceps muscle and patellar tendon; the articular

cartilage on the posterior side of the patella can be damaged and result in chondromalacia patella,

a specialized type of patellofemoral pain syndrome.

One with this dysfunction may experience general anterior knee pain, discomfort,

weakness, and/or swelling when exercising, participating in activities that involve repetitive knee

flexion, sitting for an extended amount of time, and going up and down stairs; popping in the

knee and a grinding or creaking sensation is possible during these activities. If one is unsure

about whether or not he or she has this condition, the doctor will assist him or her and perform a

physical exam to pinpoint the location of the pain he or she is experiencing. Overuse or patellar

malalignment are the main causes of patellofemoral dysfunction. One can stress out the knee by

doing intense physical activities that require plenty of knee flexion like dance and track. On the

other hand, one may have patellae that are out of place of the femoral groove and can cause

irritation.
 Fortunately, patellofemoral pain syndrome is common enough to be treated at home. One

could see improvements if he or she discontinues or reduces the amount of physical activity,

rests and ices the patella area, uses pain relievers like ibuprofen, and/or wears shoe inserts.

Certain exercises are recommended to help reduce the anterior knee pain like wall slides and

straight leg raises. Most exercises will activate specific parts of the leg to strengthen those

muscles in order to reduce the pressure on the knees: quadricep, hamstring, calf, and iliotibial

band exercises. If none of these treatments work, then surgery is an option. Surgeons can transfer

the tibial tubercle, loosen the lateral retinaculum tendon, or remove the softened or damaged

cartilage.

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Hettrich, C. (2015, February 1). Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome-OrthoInfo - AAOS. Retrieved

March 16, 2015, from http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00680

Juhn, M. (1999, November 1). Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: A Review and Guidelines for

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