A study on risk factors for anterior knee pain in patients attending a tertiary care hospital in south India

Abstract

Anterior knee pain AKP is a common diagnosis but there is lack of understanding regarding its etiopathogenesis in current litera¬ture With many patients complaining of persistent pain in spite of treatment AKP contributes to morbidity because it predominantly affects the younger population Indians are an ethnically different population with complete knee flexion habits and have not been studied extensively for multiple risk factors associated with AKP The current case-control study evaluated the various risk factors for AKP in the Indians 225 cases and 225 controls from the general population participated ISI quadriceps tightness increased patellar tilt excessive foot pronation high Q angle high sulcus angle and abnormal patellar glide had a significant association with AKP in this study Significant differences between cases and controls in hip and knee strengths and normalized navicular drop were seen Hamstrings tightness high BMI cross leg sitting squatting CDI and BPI increased physical activity and occupation did not find a significant association with AKP The conclusion of the above risk factors is concordant with the 2016 Consensus statement on AKP treatment recommendation of combined interventions of exercise therapy foot orthoses and patella taping that aims to address the factors like muscle strength deficits abnormal foot biomechanics and patellar misalignment which were found to be risk factors in the current study newline