CARPET-LAYERS KNEE - AN ULTRASONOGRAPHIC STUDY

In order to reveal abnormalities in the soft tissue of the anterior pa rt of the knee, caused by protracted mechanical stress, we performed u ltrasound studies of both knees of 95 male workers in the carpet-layin g and parquet floor trade (group 1), Seventy-three painters (group 2) served as controls. In group 1, an anechoic fluid collection was detec ted in 10 knees, localized in the superficial infrapatellar bursa and in one patient in the prepatellar bursa, whereas there were no cases o f fluid accumulation in the controls. A hypoechoic, oval subcutaneous thickening in the anterior wall of the superficial infrapatellar bursa was detected in 35 (18.4%) and 4 (2.7%) knees, respectively. Prepatel lar subcutaneous thickening was detected in 45 knees (23.7%) in group 1, but in only 2 knees (1.4%) in group 2. Two knees in group 1 had thi ckened and inhomogeneous patellar tendons, while one in group 2 had a thickened and 2 both thickened and hypoechoic patellar tendons. We con clude that ultrasonography is a useful method for the detection of bur sitis and soft tissue changes in carpet-layers. Detection of a fluid c ollection in a bursa does not necessarily denote bursitis of clinical importance, but does signify irritation due to work stress. Patellar t endon pathology is rare among carpet-layers and is probably unrelated to the occupation.