The patellofemoral joint alignment in patients with symptomatic accessory navicular bone

Abstract

Quadriceps angle (Q angle) provides useful information about the alignment of the patellofemoral joint. The aim of the present study was to assess a possible link between malalignment of the patellofemoral joint and symptomatic accessory navicular (AN) bone as an underlying cause in early adolescence using Q angle measurements. This study was performed on patients presenting to the Foot and Ankle Clinic at the Jordanian Royal Medical Services because of pain on the medial side of the foot that worsened with activities or shoe wearing, with no history of knee pain, between September 2013 and April 2015. The Q angle was measured using a goniometer in 27 early adolescents aged 10-18 years diagnosed clinically and radiologically with symptomatic AN bone, only seven patients had associated pes planus deformity; the data were compared with age appropriate normal arched feet without AN. Navicular drop test (NDT) was used to assess the amount of foot pronation. The mean Q angle value among male and female patients with symptomatic AN with/without pes planus was significantly higher than in controls with normal arched feet without AN (p<0.05). Symptomatic AN feet were also associated with higher NDT values (p<0.001). The present findings suggest an early change in patellofemoral joint alignment in patients with symptomatic AN bone with/without arch collapse. Therefore, it is recommended that Q angle assessment should be an essential component of the examination in patients with symptomatic AN bone.