Patient selection: signs and symptoms of patellofemoral pain for at least 2 months in 1 knee with failure to respond to conservative measures after 6 weeks, with exclusion of other conditions affecting the knee
Outcome: status after 7 years
The recommended management was intense rehabilitation of the quadriceps musculature with a period of restriction on pain-producing activities. 75% of patients recovered.
Factors associated with a better long-term outcome:
(1) young age (mean age 27 years)
(2) short stature
(3) good quadriceps strength in the affected knee during rehabilitation
(4) good quadriceps function in the affected knee during rehabilitation
(5) negative tests for patellar pain
(6) negative crepitation
(7) absence of symptoms in the opposite knee during rehabilitation ("nonappearance of bilateral symptoms during the follow-up")
Patients with severe symptoms at baseline tended to have greater improvement following rehabilitation.
