NEUROMECHANICS OF THE PATELLOFEMORAL JOINT

Patellofemoral joint pain is one of the most common ailments associate d with visits to sports medicine clinics and can be disabling, althoug h conservative clinical treatment has a reportedly very high success r ate. Patellofemoral joint pain is often associated with improper track ing of the patella within the femoral trochlear notch. Improper tracki ng of the patella can be associated with increased patellofemoral cont act pressures that may be a mechanical stimulus underlying patellar ca rtilage degeneration. In those cases in which anatomic anomalies and t rauma may be excluded as the basis for improper tracking, attention is directed toward possible disruptions to the central nervous system co ntrol and contractile potential of the knee joint extensor musculature that underlies proper patellofemoral mechanics. This paper presents a review of three seminal components related to the neuromechanics of p atellofemoral function; patellofemoral tracking, patellofemoral contac t pressures, and neuromotor control of patellofemoral agonists. It is the intent of the authors to illuminate areas requiring further basic and clinical research and provide a point of departure for this work.