Execution
- 1Identify the activity that commonly provokes the patient's anterior knee pain, such as squatting, stair descent, kneeling, or prolonged sitting.
- 2Ask the patient to perform the selected provocation in a controlled way.
- 3Observe knee alignment, hip and foot mechanics, and pain onset.
- 4Modify load, depth, speed, or support to confirm symptom behavior.
- 5Record whether the patient's familiar anterior knee pain is reproduced.
Positive outcome
Reproduction of familiar retropatellar or peripatellar pain during a patellofemoral loading task is positive. Pain should be localized to the anterior knee rather than joint line, tendon, or referred pain. The finding supports PFPS only when other diagnoses are unlikely.
Studies
| Study | Reliability | Sn | Sp | LR+ | LR− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook et al. (2010) | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
CommentAnterior knee pain provocation is a symptom-behavior framework rather than a single standardized test. Squat and stair pain are common PFPS features, but are not unique to PFPS. Use clusters and differential screening for tendon, instability, meniscus, and OA findings.
Moderate Clinical Value