The contemporary management of anterior knee pain and patellofemoral instability

In this review the evidence for the management of patients with patellofemoral disorders is presented confined to anterior knee pain and patellar dislocation (excluding patellofemoral arthritis). Patients present along a spectrum of these two problems and are best managed with both problems considered. The key to managing these patients is by improving muscle function, the patient losing weight (if overweight), and judicious use of analgesics if pain is an important feature. Hypermobility syndrome should always be looked for since this is a prognostic indicator for a poor operative outcome. Operations should be reserved for those with correctable anatomical abnormalities that have failed conservative therapy. The current dominant operation is a medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction.