Patellofemoral arthritis

Written by Dr Sheila Strover on March 14, 2025

Patellofemoral arthritis is joint cartilage destruction of one or both surfaces of the joint between the patella and the femur.

Osteoarthritic joint cartilage destruction of the patellofemoral joint may involve either the cartilage surface of the patella, or of the trochlear groove, or both.

An illustration showing an oblique view of the knee joint, particularly illustrating how the patella snugs into its underlying groove on the femur.

Symptoms of patellofemoral arthritis

When the articular surfaces between the back of the patella and groove of the femur are affected with arthritis, most of the symptoms are apparent when the person takes weight on the leg.

There may be difficulty standing up from a sitting position, or dropping into a sitting position or descending stairs.

Pain at rest is commonly worse at night.

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Illustration of man descending stairs, one step at a time.

Managing patellofemoral arthritis

Management includes:

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A-Z Keywords

Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Patellofemoral joint, Trochlea, Outerbridge classification, Trochlear implant

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