The Influence of Tibial Tuberosity-trochlear Groove Distance on Development of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove distance (TT-TGD) measurements play a decisive role in evaluating patellofemoral joint disorders. However, the prevalence of pathological TT-TGD among patients with patellofemoral pain remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare the size of TT-TGD among patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) and those with no history of patellofemoral pain. A total of 100 cases participated in this case-control study, among whom 53 individuals were in the case group and 47 individuals were in the control group. TT-TGD was measured by magnetic resonance imaging. The mean TT-TGD was 12.3±3.3 in patients and 9.3±2.4 in controls (P<0.001). Among patients, we had totally 34 patients with TT-TG equal or lower than 13 (64.2%) and in 18 patients, it was higher than 13 (34%). The mean TT-TGD in patients with PFPS was greater than that in the control group (P=0.001). An increase in TT-TGD can be considered one of the factors behind the development of PFPS.