The key difference between patellofemoral pain syndrome and osteoarthritis is that patellofemoral pain syndrome is a medical condition that causes pain at the front of the knee, around the kneecap, and is more commonly seen in people who participate in sports involving running and jumping, while osteoarthritis is a medical condition that causes joint pain in hands, knees, and spine, and is more commonly seen in old people and women.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome and osteoarthritis are two common knee conditions. It has been reported that patellofemoral pain in adolescents and young adults may be a precursor of osteoarthritis. This means the degenerative joint changes in patellofemoral pain syndrome may ultimately lead to a condition known as patellofemoral osteoarthritis. Both these medical conditions share common mechanical disease characteristics such as altered contact area between the femur and patella and increased joint stress.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
3. What is Osteoarthritis
4. Similarities – Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome and Osteoarthritis
5. Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome vs Osteoarthritis in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome vs Osteoarthritis
What is Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome?
Patellofemoral pain syndrome is a medical condition that causes pain at the front of the knee, around the kneecap. It is more commonly seen in people who participate in sports that involve running and jumping. It is sometimes called a runner’s knee. The symptoms of this condition may include a dull pain in the front of the knee, pain aggravating when walking up or down stairs, kneeling or squatting, and sitting with a bent knee for a long time.
Figure 01: Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Patellofemoral pain syndrome can be caused by overuse (repetitive stress in sports involving running and jumping), muscle imbalances and weakness, injury (trauma to kneecaps such as dislocation or fracture), and surgery (knee surgery). Moreover, this syndrome can be diagnosed with a medical history, physical examination, and imaging tests like X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs. Furthermore, treatment options for this condition may include resting the knee, medications like pain relievers (acetaminophen and ibuprofen), therapy (rehabilitation exercises, supportive braces, taping, applying ice, and participating in knee-friendly sports such as bicycling and swimming), and surgery (arthroscopy and realignment).
What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a medical condition that causes joint pain in the hands, knees, and spine and is more commonly seen in old people and women. The signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis include pain in the affected joints during or after movements, joint stiffness after being inactive, tenderness in the joint, loss of flexibility in joints, grating sensation while using the joints, and bone spurs and swelling due to soft tissue inflammation around the joint. Moreover, osteoarthritis happens when the cartilage that cushions the ends of the joints gradually deteriorates.
Figure 02: Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis can be diagnosed through physical examination, X-ray, MRI, blood test, and joint fluid analysis. Furthermore, treatment options for osteoarthritis may include medications (acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and duloxetine), therapy (physical therapy, occupational therapy, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and surgical procedures (cortisone injections, lubrication injection, realigning bones and joint replacement).
What are the Similarities Between Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome and Osteoarthritis?
- Patellofemoral pain syndrome and osteoarthritis are two common knee conditions.
- Patellofemoral pain in adolescents and young adults may be a precursor of osteoarthritis.
- Degenerative joint changes in patellofemoral pain syndrome may ultimately lead to patellofemoral osteoarthritis.
- Both these conditions share common mechanical disease characteristics such as altered contact area between the femur and patella and increased joint stress and pain.
- Both these conditions can be predominantly seen in women.
- These conditions can be diagnosed through physical examination and imaging tests.
- They are treated through medications like pain relievers, specific therapies, and surgeries.
What is the Difference Between Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome and Osteoarthritis?
Patellofemoral pain syndrome is a medical condition that causes pain at the front of the knee around the kneecap and is more commonly seen in people who participate in sports that involve running and jumping, while osteoarthritis is a medical condition that causes joint pain in hands, knees, and spine and is more commonly seen in old people and women. Thus, this is the key difference between patellofemoral pain syndrome and osteoarthritis. Furthermore, patellofemoral pain syndrome is predominantly seen in people participating in sports involving running and jumping, adolescents, and young adults, while osteoarthritis is predominantly seen in old people and women.
The below infographic presents the differences between patellofemoral pain syndrome and osteoarthritis in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome vs Osteoarthritis
Patellofemoral pain syndrome and osteoarthritis are two common knee conditions. Both these conditions may have similar mechanical disease characteristics, such as altered contact area between the femur and patella and increased joint stress and pain. However, patellofemoral pain syndrome causes pain at the front of the knee around the kneecap and is more commonly seen in people who participate in sports that involve running and jumping, while osteoarthritis causes joint pain in hands, knees, and spine and is more commonly seen in old people and women. So, this is the summary of the difference between patellofemoral pain syndrome and osteoarthritis.
Reference:
1. “Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 5 Feb. 2021.
2. “Osteoarthritis: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic.
Image Courtesy:
1. “PFPS” By BodyParts3D/Anatomography – Anatomography (CC BY-SA 2.1 jp) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Osteoarthritis” By BruceBlaus – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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