title: Sagittal plane evaluation of patellofemoral movement in patellofemoral pain patients with no evidence of maltracking.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The cause of abnormal patellar kinematics in patients with patellofemoral pain remains unclear. Many patients who develop patellofemoral pain symptoms do not exhibit evidence of maltracking. In these patients, sagittal plane evaluation of patellofemoral movement should be performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Knee radiographs were obtained for forty healthy volunteers and thirty patients at 0°, 30°, 60°, 90° and 120° of flexion in a standing weight-bearing position. The degree of active patellar movement was measured by a newly developed technique called "patellar motion angle". Three independent examiners sequentially performed all of the measurements under identical conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant decrease in the patellar motion angle was found during deep knee flexion from 90° to 120° in the patient group compared to the volunteer group (mean 18.5° ± 5.8° and 23.6° ± 6.2°, respectively) (P = 0.001). From 0° to 90° of knee flexion, no significant differences in the patellar motion angle were found between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sagittal plane patellofemoral joint kinematics is an area of interest in the study of the mechanical factors associated with patellofemoral pain. This study demonstrated a decrease in patellar movement during deep knee bending activity in patients with patellofemoral pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapeutic study, Level II.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Siriraj Hospital 2 Prannok Road Bangkoknoi, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand, mai_parma@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Rapeepat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Narkbunnam
authors.forename: Keerati
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chareancholvanich
authors.forename: Thossart
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hanroongroj
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057071:Patellofemoral Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D046788:Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*