Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome in Young Female Athletes: A Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND: Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is the most common cause of anterior knee pain in children and adolescents, and it is characterized by highly limiting, recurrent, frontal pain. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study is to assess the incidence and onset of PFPS in the young female athletes and to compare it to healthy individuals. METHODS: Between 2017 and 2019, 51 subjects were reviewed and divided in three groups: rhythmic gymnastics athletes (RG; 21 individuals, mean age: 13.8 ± 3.6 years), basketball athletes (BG; 17 individuals, mean age: 14.2 ± 3.1 years), and control group (CG; 13 individuals, mean age: 14.5 ± 4.3 years). All patients underwent physical examination including patellar glide, tilt, grind and apprehension tests, tiptoe and jack tests, Coleman block, and navicular drop tests. The clinical and functional outcomes of the subjects were assessed using the Kujala patellofemoral score (KPS). RESULTS: In RG patients were recorded 66.7% of normal footprint (NF), 9.5% of cavus feet (FCF), and 23.8% of flatfeet (FFF); 14.8% patellar positive tests, KS = 98.6 ± 13.7. BG patients had 70.6% of NF, 11.8% FCF, and 17.6% of FFF; 23.5% patellar positive tests, KS = 98.3 ± 12.4. CG patients had 61.5% of NF, 7.7% of FCF and 30.8% of FFF; 15.4% patellar positive tests, KPS = 98,9 ± 15.3. No statistically significance was found between the three cohorts of patients. CONCLUSIONS: PFPS is a common pathology; muscular imbalance and overuse could exacerbate pain and discomfort in young female athletes. Our findings show high type and level of sport activity are not related to increase frequency of clinical symptoms related to PFPS.