Quality of life in adolescents with longstanding non-traumatic knee pain: An analysis of 316 adolescents with Patellofemoral Pain and Osgood-Schlatter Disease

OBJECTIVES: To describe the Quality of Life (QoL) among adolescents with Patellofemoral Pain (PFP) and Osgood-Schlatter Disease (OSD) and investigate characteristics associated with QoL.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional.

PARTICIPANTS: 316 adolescents with PFP or OSD.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: QoL subscale of The Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and the EuroQol 5-dimensions (EQ-5D).

RESULTS: The KOOS-QoL was 51 ± 18, and the total index score for the EQ5D was 0.67 ± 0.21. KOOS-QoL subscale showed that 60% reported being aware of their knee problems daily or constantly, 38% reported severe to extreme lack of confidence in their knees, 28% reported severe to extreme difficulty with their knees, and 20% reported severely or totally modifying their lifestyle to avoid potentially damaging activities to their knee. EQ-5D showed that 79% experienced problems with everyday activities, 48% reported mobility problems, 17% felt worried, sad, or unhappy, and 7% reported problems looking after themselves.

CONCLUSIONS: Many adolescents with longstanding non-traumatic knee pain experience low QoL. More than half were aware of their knee problems at least daily, one in three reported a severe lack of confidence in their knee, and one in six felt worried, sad, or unhappy.