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Context Causes of anterior knee pain (AKP) in jumping athletes include patellofemoral pain and patellar tendinopathy. The differential diagnosis of AKP is challenging, with variations in clinical presentations. No previous research has used pain location to describe AKP in basketball players. Objective To (1) describe the prevalence and pain distribution of AKP in collegiate basketball players and (2) report the prevalence of focal inferior pole pain using 2 outcome measures. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting University and collegiate basketball facilities in Alberta, Canada. Patients or Other Participants A total of 242 collegiate basketball athletes (138 women, 104 men). Main Outcome Measure(s) The single-legged decline squat test (SLDS) was used to capture pain location via pain mapping (dichotomized as focal or diffuse) and pain severity (numeric rating scale). The Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre Knee questionnaire (OSTRC-Knee) and adapted version for patellar tendinopathy (OSTRC-Patellar Tendinopathy Questionnaire [OSTRC-P]) were used to report the prevalence of AKP and patellar tendinopathy, respectively. Focal inferior pole pain during the SLDS was used to classify patellar tendinopathy. Results Of the 242 players, 146 (60%) reported pain with the SLDS (unilateral = 64 [26%]; bilateral = 82 [34%]). A total of 101 (43%) described knee pain using the OSTRC-Knee. Pain mapping captured the variability in pain locations. Diffuse pain was more prevalent (left, 70%; right, 72%) than focal pain (left, 30%; right, 28%). Low prevalence of patellar tendinopathy was noted using the OSTRC-P (n = 21, 8.7%) and inferior pole pain during the SLDS (n = 25, 10.3%). Conclusions Diffuse AKP was common in Canadian basketball players; however, pain mapped to the inferior pole of the patella was not common. Few players reported tendinopathy using the OSTRC-P, suggesting that patellar tendinopathy was not a primary knee pain presentation in this jumping cohort. Pain location, rather than the presence or severity of pain alone, may better describe the clinical presentation of AKP in jumping athletes.

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Objective To estimate the pooled prevalence of, and factors associated with, the presence of patellar tendon abnormalities observed on imaging in people without symptoms. Design Systematic review with stratified meta-analysis and meta-regression. Literature Search We searched Embase, Scopus, MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science from 1980 to August 2020. Study Selection Criteria We included studies that reported the prevalence of asymptomatic patellar tendon abnormalities on imaging. We excluded studies of participants with current tendon pain, a history of tendon pain, or other systemic conditions. Data Synthesis Stratification and meta-regression of studies based on study-level descriptive statistics (mean age, body mass index, proportion of female participants, physical activity participation, imaging modality) were performed using a random-effects model to account for between-study heterogeneity. Risk of bias was assessed using the modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Results Meta-analysis of 64 studies (7125 limbs from 4616 participants) found significant between-study heterogeneity (I2≥90%, P<.01), which precluded a summary prevalence estimate. Heterogeneity was partially explained by studies that included participants who were physically active and studies that assessed tendon abnormalities using magnetic resonance imaging compared to ultrasound (P<.05). Mean age, body mass index, proportion of female participants, and sample size did not explain the remaining heterogeneity. Conclusion There was substantial variability in the reported prevalence of asymptomatic patellar tendon abnormalities. A clear and valid method is needed to assess and report the presence of patellar tendon abnormalities to increase research capacity and establish the clinical value of imaging the patellar tendon. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2021;51(5):216–231. Epub 28 Mar 2021. doi:10.2519/jospt.2021.10054