A 22-year-old female volleyball player develops anterior knee pain that is worse with descending stairs and prolonged sitting ('theatre sign'). Clinical examination reveals a positive Clarke's sign (patellar inhibition test) and tenderness along the medial patellar facet. The diagnosis is:

• A Patellofemoral pain syndrome (chondromalacia patellae) ✓
• B Osgood-Schlatter disease
• C Patellar tendinopathy ('jumper's knee')
• D Medial plica syndrome

Explanation

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is the most common cause of anterior knee pain in young women and athletes. The 'theatre sign' (pain after prolonged sitting with the knee flexed) and descending stairs aggravation reflect increased patellofemoral contact pressures at these angles. Clarke's sign (pain on pressing and moving the patella with the quadriceps contracted) supports the diagnosis but has low specificity. Treatment: quadriceps (particularly VMO) strengthening, patellar taping/bracing, activity modification. Arthroscopy is rarely needed.

Reference: Maheshwari Essential Orthopaedics, 6th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.