Patellofemoral Pain in the Female Athlete

Patellofemoral pain is a common complaint in athletes, with twice the incidence in females as compared to males. The pathogenesis of patellofemoral pain is multifactorial and can be impacted by anatomic and biomechanical abnormalities, altered neuromuscular recruitment, strength deficits, altered pain-processing mechanisms, and psychologic factors. Successful treatment is often achieved by nonoperative means, utilizing a multimodal approach individualized to the specific risk factors identified for each person, including exercise therapy, kinematic retraining, taping, bracing, orthotic use, and patient education. Appropriately indicated surgeries for patellofemoral pain primarily aim to address soft tissue and bony malalignment or focal cartilage defects.