The rapid rise of youth sports has led to increased prevalence of repeat knee-related injuries among children and adolescents, notably those ages 10- to 17. In fact, patellar (kneecap) instability is one of the most common causes of physical trauma in this age group – six times higher than adults. Currently, most clinicians rely on advanced imaging to guide their treatment approach, which can be costly and is not usually available in a clinic. However, researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, revealed that ultrasound technology offers a transformative solution since it’s inexpensive and portable, compared to MRI and CT scans, and clinicians can track knee injuries and their response to treatment over time within a clinic. The study was published in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine.
“We are excited to show that ultrasound imaging can reliably detect kneecap position and differentiate between patients with and without kneecap instability,” said Elliot Greenberg, PT, PhD, a sports medicine physical therapist at CHOP, who led a team within CHOP’s Orthopedic Center, including J. Todd Lawrence, MD PhD, Naomi Brown, MD, and Brendan A. Williams, MD. “Moving forward, we plan to build on these findings, broadening our research to evaluate how patients respond to both surgical and non-surgical treatment.”
In this study, researchers evaluated 50 participants – 24 with kneecap instability and 26 controls. They found that ultrasound was consistent and reliable. Researchers also noted that the ease of access and efficiency of utilizing ultrasound would allow for serial measurements over time to evaluate a response to treatment, as well the capacity for imaging or screening the patient’s other knee, which may not be feasible with MRI.
“Our goal is to transform these insights into clinical practice, enabling us to better counsel our young patients and their families about how to safely and effectively return to the activities they love,” said Williams.
Greenberg et al, “Reliability and Face Validity of an Ultrasound Derived Measure of Axial Patellofemoral Alignment.” Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. Online October 11, 2024. DOI: 10.1177/23259671241281362.
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The rapid rise of youth sports has led to increased prevalence of repeat knee-related injuries among children and adolescents, notably those ages 10- to 17. In fact, patellar (kneecap) instability is one of the most common causes of physical trauma in this age group – six times higher than adults. Currently, most clinicians rely on advanced imaging to guide their treatment approach, which can be costly and is not usually available in a clinic. However, researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, revealed that ultrasound technology offers a transformative solution since it’s inexpensive and portable, compared to MRI and CT scans, and clinicians can track knee injuries and their response to treatment over time within a clinic. The study was published in the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine.
“We are excited to show that ultrasound imaging can reliably detect kneecap position and differentiate between patients with and without kneecap instability,” said Elliot Greenberg, PT, PhD, a sports medicine physical therapist at CHOP, who led a team within CHOP’s Orthopedic Center, including J. Todd Lawrence, MD PhD, Naomi Brown, MD, and Brendan A. Williams, MD. “Moving forward, we plan to build on these findings, broadening our research to evaluate how patients respond to both surgical and non-surgical treatment.”
In this study, researchers evaluated 50 participants – 24 with kneecap instability and 26 controls. They found that ultrasound was consistent and reliable. Researchers also noted that the ease of access and efficiency of utilizing ultrasound would allow for serial measurements over time to evaluate a response to treatment, as well the capacity for imaging or screening the patient’s other knee, which may not be feasible with MRI.
“Our goal is to transform these insights into clinical practice, enabling us to better counsel our young patients and their families about how to safely and effectively return to the activities they love,” said Williams.
Greenberg et al, “Reliability and Face Validity of an Ultrasound Derived Measure of Axial Patellofemoral Alignment.” Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. Online October 11, 2024. DOI: 10.1177/23259671241281362.
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