This book adopts a case-based approach to the management of patellofemoral disorders with the
aim of helping orthopaedic surgeons at all levels of experience to decide whether individual
patients referred with patellofemoral problems should be treated conservatively or operatively.
A series of real-life case stories are used to illustrate every stage of the decision-making
process and to explore the reader's higher-order thinking around patient management. In each
case study the patient's history clinical and imaging findings and management are reported
during the course of which the reader is asked searching questions. The reader is then able to
compare his or her responses with those given by the authors which are provided at the end of
each case-specific chapter. This format ensures that knowledge and understanding improve as the
reader progresses through the book. Although the cases are addressed primarily from the
standpoint of the orthopaedic surgeon the dominant managementstrategy is non-operative in many
of them. Beyond surgeons the book will also be of value for musculoskeletal physiotherapists
with a particular interest in the knee.
