Evaluation of Anterior Knee Pain

Patients seeking treatment for knee pain and dysfunction is common in a variety of settings. Various non-surgical treatment options exist for these individuals. However, manypatients require surgery. A considerable amount of the available research evidence is focused on surgical interventions and post-surgical rehabilitation. As a result, many clinicians who rely on conservative treatments are faced with the challenge of determining the best treatments with far less research evidence to support their decisions. Anterior knee can be particularly challenging because of thenumber of anatomical structures that can be responsible for pain in this region. These structures include: the extensor mechanism (tendon, ligament, and associated bursa), synovial plica, infrapatellar fat pad, patellofemoral joint and the menisci.

This course will assist clinicians with prioritizingexamination tests and measures by presenting a tissue specific evidence-based approach to clinical examination of the knee. Clinicians will be provided with a systematicexamination approach that will allow them to categorize the anatomical sources of knee pain. A case-based clinical reasoning approach will provide participants with the ability to clearly communicate findings with patients and colleagues.

Highlights

• Immediately provide a 15-minute systematic examination that includes differential diagnosis for the knee
• Rapid examination process for assigning patients to effectivetreatment-based categories
• Acquire most reliable and relevant clinical information with minimal tests and measures and specialtests
• Valid systematic approach to interpretingcomplex clinical problems
• Communication tools to effectively collaboratewith all treatment team members, including referralsources

Target Audience: Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Athletic Trainers