Anterior knee pain in the absence of patellofemoral instability

A wide range of disorders other than patellofemoral insta - bility may be responsible for anterior knee pain and should t h e re f o re be included in the differential diagnosis in childre n and adolescents. The role of overuse and repetitive trauma is of utmost importance in these disorders. More o v e r, systemic or local malignancies, r e f e r red pain especially from the hip, and psychiatric features specific to this age group should always be kept in mind. This article revisits anterior knee pain in the absence of patellofemoral instability with re g a rd to etiology, examination methods, diagnosis, and tre a t m e n t in the light of recent data and clinical experience.