This online course will provide you with a detailed understanding of the causes of patellofemoral pain (PFP), the anatomy and biomechanics of the knee joint, the differential diagnosis and management of this condition, as well as the factors leading to chronicity. Also, a review of the literature will be discussed regarding the treatment plan and best practices.

Also, three specific cases of pain will be presented: Hoffa syndrome, chronic patellofemoral pain and pain in runners.

In short, at the end of this course, you will be able to easily prioritize your interventions according to the type of patient and the history of his or her PFP in order to set up a simple, effective treatment plan based on the latest evidence.

Objectives:

1. Understanding the sources of nociception for PFP
2. Understand the influence of functional anatomy on PFP
3. Understand the links between biomechanics and PFP
4. Describe Dye’s model and the notion of tissue load/overload
5. Describe chronicity factors in PFP sufferers
6. List the pathologies that can cause anterior knee pain
7. Generate diagnostic hypotheses and identify the essential information to be gathered in order to verify or rule out each hypothesis
8. Perform a reasoned clinical examination
9. Draw up a diagnosis
10. List best-practice recommendations for the management of PFP
11. Prioritize your interventions according to patient type and PFP history
12. Determine the key elements of the patient’s assessment to be considered
13. List the interventions that are suitable for the majority of patients, and their expected effects, based on the scientific literature
14. List complementary interventions and understand their indications and limitations
15. Assess and treat: Hoffa syndrome, chronic patellofemoral pain and pain in runners.