Isolated patellofemoral osteoarthritis: Natural history and clinical presentation

Abstract

Arthritis affects the patellofemoral joint less than any other compartment of the knee. The characteristics of this isolated arthritis remain badly understood with few references in the literature. When seen it is usually bilateral and predominately in females. Its presenting symptoms are activities of bending the knee, climbing or descending stairs, or walking on inclined terrain. Other etiologies have been advanced such as extensor mechanism malalignment; in particular with a valgus knee, or hypermobile kneecap, the excessive lateral hyperpressure syndrome (ELHP) or a high (Patella Alta) or low riding (Patella Infera) kneecap. reflex sympathetic dystrophy has also been described as a possible cause. The two etiologies most often discussed are sequelae to articular fractures and rheumatoid disease like chondrocalcinosis. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.