PATELLOFEMORAL CONTACT FORCES AND PRESSURES DURING INTRAMEDULLARY TIBIAL NAILING

Patellofemoral joint forces and pressures were measured in a cadaver m odel during intramedullary nailing of the tibia. A significant increas e in contact pressures was found at the lateral facet of the patellofe moral articulation using the medial paratendinous approach (P = 0.01) and at the medial facet when using the trans-patellar tendon approach (P = 0.001) to the proximal tibia. Increased contact pressures at the patellofemoral joint may result in chondral injury, which in turn may cause anterior knee pain, a common complication of tibial nailing.