Long-term prognosis for jumper's knee in male athletes. A prospective follow-up study.
BACKGROUND
Little information is available on the long-term outcome of jumper's knee, a common problem among athletes.


OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to determine the 15-year prognosis of jumper's knee.


METHODS
Prospective case control.


METHODS
The prognosis for jumper's knee was studied using two groups: athletes with jumper's knee and nonsymptomatic control athletes. At baseline, all subjects participated in standardized clinical examinations and measurements, and 15 years later they were asked to respond to a questionnaire.


RESULTS
Twenty athletes with jumper's knee and 16 athlete control subjects responded (response rate 74% and 84%, respectively). The jumper's knee group reported significantly more knee symptoms according to their Kujala score and more knee pain after repeated squatting. Fifty-three percent of the subjects in the jumper's knee group (9 of 17) reported that they had quit their sports career because of their knee problem, compared with 7% of the control athletes (1 of 14). Patellar height was associated with knee symptoms at follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Jumper's knee causes mild but long-lasting symptoms after an athletic career.
Kettunen
Jyrki A
JA
ORTON Orthopaedic Hospital, Invalid Foundation, Helsinki, Finland.
Kvist
Martti
M
Alanen
Erkki
E
Kujala
Urho M
UM
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D014142:Track and Field / Q000293:injuries*