CLINICAL-ASSESSMENT OF ASYMPTOMATIC KNEES - COMPARISON OF MEN AND WOMEN

Two hundred ten adults, 100 women and 110 men, were recruited on the c ondition of always having asymptomatic knee joints. These recruits wer e initially solicited by newspaper advertisement. The women were recru ited in 3 weeks; but additional efforts and 3 months were necessary to assemble the group of men. The volunteers underwent a uniform compreh ensive medical history questionnaire, physical examination, and plain film radiographs. The data collected were subjected to computerization and statistical analysis. Although these subjects were always asympto matic, only 4.5% of 200 women's knees and 21% of 220 men's knees had n o ''positive'' physical findings. The findings of hypermobile patella, patellar crepitus, and lateral patellar position on Merchant x-ray vi ew were common. Findings not present or infrequent in these asymptomat ic subjects and potentially pathological were patellar J-sign, decreas ed range of motion, asymmetrical ligamentous laxity, McMurray's sign, compartmental crepitus, and severe degenerative arthritis or loose bod ies on radiograph. The findings in women were different from those obs erved in men. This gender-specific information should be helpful in pa tient management but also useful and timely for establishing practice guidelines, treatment algorithms, and outcome study instruments.