Date of Award

1996

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree Name

Master of Physical Therapy (MPT)

Department

Physical Therapy

First Advisor

Beverly Johnson

Keywords

Pain Management; Patella

Abstract

There have been many therapeutic methods proposed for the treatment of patellofemoral pain, but there still remains some question as to which of these options is most beneficial to the patient. There are many steps to follow in order to find the most effective treatment method for an individual suffering from patellofemoral pain syndrome.

This paper is a review of the literature regarding patellofemoral pain syndrome. The paper begins with a discussion of the anatomy of the patellofemoral joint. Etiological factors of this common syndrome are also presented as well as the clinical presentation of this patient population. The focus of the paper involves treatment techniques for patients with patellofemoral pain. Several months of conservative treatment measures are encouraged preceding more invasive surgical techniques. The surgical techniques discussed here include the lateral retinacular release, proximal patellar realignment, distal patellar realignment, and the patellectomy.

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