In this review the evidence for the management of patients with patellofemoral disorders is presented confined to anterior knee pain and patellar dislocation (excluding patellofemoral arthritis). Patients present along a spectrum of these two problems and are best managed with both problems considered. The key to managing these patients is by improving muscle function, the patient losing weight...

CONTEXT Although disorders of the patellofemoral joint are common in the athlete, their management can be challenging and require a thorough physical examination and radiologic evaluation, including advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION Relevant articles were searched under OVID and MEDLINE (1968 to 2010) using the keywords patellofemoral joint, patellofemoral p...

Recurrent dislocation, subluxation and functional instability due to patellofemoral pain might be present in 30 % to 60 % of patients managed non-operatively for posttraumatic patella instability. Disruption of the capsule, medial patella retinaculum and/or vastus medialis obliquus have been associated with recurrent patella instability but recently the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) has...

BACKGROUND Patellar stabilizing braces are used to alleviate pain and prevent subluxation/dislocation by having biomechanical effects in terms of improved patellar tracking. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of the dynamic patellar realignment brace, Patella Pro (Otto Bock GmbH, Duderstadt, Germany), on disease determinants in subjects with patellofemoral instability using upr...

Patellofemoral instability is a common cause of anterior knee pain, especially in younger and more active patients. Treatment of instability varies considerably depending on the patient's symptoms as well as the cause of the instability. Lateral instability has a particularly broad spectrum of treatment algorithms including patellar taping, arthroscopy, lateral release, medial patellofemoral li...

BACKGROUND Conventional computed tomography (CT) images are routinely used for diagnosing patellofemoral instability and are obtained with the patient in a supine position, nonweightbearing, with the knee in full extension, and with leg muscles relaxed. A new portable extremity cone beam CT (CBCT) scanner has been developed that may allow for more accurate diagnosis, as imaging can be performed...

BACKGROUND Surgical treatment of patellofemoral instability can successfully diminish episodes of subluxation and dislocation, as well as symptoms of pain and instability. HYPOTHESIS Surgical treatment of lateral patellar instability in a strictly athletic population will facilitate return to sports. STUDY DESIGN Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS From 1999 to 2004, 41 Fulkerson o...

Recent years have been characterized by an ongoing increase in knowledge about the different conditions associated with lateral patellar instability. This increase in knowledge provides differentiated approaches to the various pathologies of the patellofemoral joint. Though current guidelines consider medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction the basic treatment for the unstable pate...

BACKGROUND Medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction has become one of the most common and widely used procedures to regain stability among patients with recurrent lateral patellar dislocation. While recent studies demonstrated low recurrence rates, improved patient-reported outcome measures, and a high rate of return to sports, limited literature explored its effectiveness as an iso...