How to manage patellofemoral pain (PFP)
A multitude of factors (structural, biomechanical, load-related, and psychological) were shown to be involved in patellofemoral (PFP) pain symptoms, contributing differently in each case.
Shared, patient-centered decision making is crucial to design a treatment that considers both the patient’s beliefs and expectations while providing evidence-informed interventions such as exercise, movement retraining, load management, treatment adjuncts and education.
PFP is one of the most common conditions in orthopedics and sports medine settings.
Research shows long-term outcomes tend to be poor. This may be due to the multifactorial nature of the condition and the variability of both the populations affected and treatment strategies.
A full understanding of the causes of PFP appearance and chronicity are still not established.
After going through this masterclass, we have learned that not only a variety of factors play a role in PFP, but these may vary greatly from person to person. Some key points:
- Kinematic changes are usually present both at local and peripheral levels - these changes alter the load imposed on the patellofemoral joint;
- A targeted assessment including psychological measures(!) should be taken;
- Exercise therapy should form the basis for treatment and include proximal and local components;
- Treatment approaches such as movement retraining, orthoses and education should be individualized to address each patient’s needs, thus promoting optimal results.
> From: Lack et al., Phys Ther Sport 32 (2018) 155-166 (Epub ahead of print). All rights reserved to Elsevier Inc.. Click here for the online summary.
