Anterior Knee Pain

Patellofemoral pain or anterior knee pain (AKP) affects individuals of all ages and activity levels, with a higher prevalence among adolescents, adults, and athletes. AKP arises from a complex interplay of factors, requiring tailored treatment for different patient subgroups. Isolated focus on the knee joint during examination may overlook crucial etiological factors like pelvifemoral dysfunction and psychological influences. AKP patients often respond well to load restriction and painless rehabilitation. Surgical intervention is seldom necessary, except in rare cases. Monitoring is essential to detect iatrogenic medial patellar instability after patellar realignment surgery, which can be largely prevented by avoiding excessive lateral retinaculum release or poorly indicated procedures.