Evaluation of anterior knee pain patient: clinical and radiological assessment including psychological factors

Most orthopedic surgeons focused only on examining the knee when they see a patient with anterior knee pain (AKP) in the office. This approach is a great mistake because other important etiological factors distant from the knee can be responsible for the pain. Therefore, the entire lower extremity should be examined. AKP is basically a clinical diagnosis, with imaging studies used to confirm the clinical impression. The AKP patient is experiencing chronic pain, and therefore, the evaluation should include psychological factors, which are important in patients with chronic pain. Addressing the whole patient helps to identify potentially modifiable factors so an appropriate therapeutic program can be developed to achieve the best outcomes.