Effectiveness of Physical Therapy Intervention to the Proximal Tibiofibular Joint for a Marathon Runner with Lateral Knee Pain

Steven Jackson and Sarah Macrowski

Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Orange Park Medical Center, USA
Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Houston Methodist Orthopedics &Sports Medicine, USA

^*Correspondance to: Steven Jackson 

 PDF  Full Text Case Report | Open Access

Abstract:

Background &
Purpose: The knee is the most common site of injury in running athletes. An often overlooked contributor to lateral knee pain is the Proximal Tibiofibular Joint (PTFJ). There is a paucity of literature regarding physical therapy management of those with PTFJ dysfunction. The purpose of this case study is to report the physical therapy management for a patient with lateral knee pain.
Case Description: A 26-year-old female marathon runner presented with right lateral knee pain after slipping on ice while running. The patient presented with difficulty running, squatting, descending stairs, sitting greater than 30 minutes, and walking on uneven surfaces. After two weeks of rest, foam rolling, and hip abductor strengthening, the patient had reduced pain with all functional activities, but was still unable to run without pain. Oscillatory Grade III anterior to posterior mobilizations were performed to the PTFJ. Following this addition to her plan of care, the patient was able to return to running pain free.
Discussion: When examining a patient with lateral knee pain, the PTFJ should be considered in the differential diagnosis as a source of pain and the mechanisms regarding manual therapy-induced hypoalgesia.

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Cite the Article:

Jackson S, Macrowski S. Effectiveness of Physical Therapy Intervention to the Proximal Tibiofibular Joint for a Marathon Runner with Lateral Knee Pain. Clin Case Rep Int. 2017; 1: 1034.