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The Patellofemoral Joint in the Athlete pp 1–13Cite as

Anatomy of the Patellofemoral Joint

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Abstract

The patellofemoral joint is a very intricate and essential joint for the athlete, and the knowledge about the anatomy of the joint continues to progress. Numerous muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, bursa sacs, arteries, and nerves contribute to the functionality of the joint and allow athletes to perform at the highest level by establishing knee stability and preventing pain. However, patellofemoral joint pathology continues to be a common problem associated with athletics, and knowledge about the anatomy is critical in order to diagnose and treat injuries as quickly as possible so that athletes can return to competition in the shortest possible time frame. This chapter focuses on the relevant surgical anatomy for the numerous structures in the patellofemoral joint by combining a summary of the relevant and available literature, along with numerous illustrations, to provide a synopsis of current knowledge about patellofemoral knee joint anatomy.

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Abbreviations

RF:

Rectus femoris

VL:

Vastus lateralis

VLO:

Vastus lateralis obliquus

VM:

Vastus medialis

VMO:

Vastus medialis obliquus

LPFL:

Lateral patellofemoral ligament

MPFL:

Medial patellofemoral ligament

MPTL:

Medial patellotibial ligament

LPTL:

Lateral patellotibial ligament

ITB:

Iliotibial band

IPB:

Iliopatellar band

FCL:

Fibular collateral ligament

ACL:

Anterior cruciate ligament

PCL:

Posterior cruciate ligament

MCL:

Medial collateral ligament

QT:

Quadriceps tendon

PT:

Patellar tendon

AMT:

Adductor magnus tendon

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Steadman Philippon Research Institute, Vail Valley Medical Center, Vail, CO, USA

    Christopher M. LaPrade B.A. & Matthew T. Rasmussen B.S.

  2. The Steadman Clinic, Steadman Philippon Research Institute, Vail Valley Medical Center, 181 W. Meadow Drive Suite 400, Vail, CO, 81657, USA

    Robert F. LaPrade M.D., Ph.D.

  3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Robert F. LaPrade M.D., Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Christopher M. LaPrade B.A.
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  2. Matthew T. Rasmussen B.S.
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  3. Robert F. LaPrade M.D., Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert F. LaPrade M.D., Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ctr. for Sports Med. & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    Robin V. West

  2. Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, USA

    Alexis C. Colvin

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LaPrade, C.M., Rasmussen, M.T., LaPrade, R.F. (2014). Anatomy of the Patellofemoral Joint. In: West, R., Colvin, A. (eds) The Patellofemoral Joint in the Athlete. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4157-1_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4157-1_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-4156-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-4157-1

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