Exploring the form-function relationship in adolescents with patellofemoral pain syndrome

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) reduces quality of life for thousands of adolescents each year. Having previously demonstrated that patellar maltracking is associated with PFP in adolescents, our study aimed to determine if PF shape is altered in adolescents with PFP and if shape influences patellar maltracking. We found few morphological differences between the adolescent control and PFP cohorts. However, the correlations between shape and patellar maltracking indicate that the spectrum of medial-lateral shift maltracking (from slightly medial of norm to extreme lateral) is partially due to shape. Specifically, adolescents with PFP and a more neutral shift profile likely maintain this pattern by a strong interaction between the lateral patella and the lateral femoral shaft. This cartilage to bone contact is a probable source of pain.