In Search of the Etiology of Anterior Knee Pain

Abstract

In any long-term pain condition, a causal explanation is important to seek. One is that a mild disturbance of homeostasis, so mild that it is clinically undetectable, could signal pain. Pain mechanisms differ depending on onset stimulus, immune reactions, and type of inflammation, so distinguishing possible pain mechanisms is valuable. Analyzing inflammatory mediators and immune cells may reveal meaningful information in the search for a diffuse AKP etiology. Retrospective analyses of prior treatment modalities may also yield important clues. This chapter has argued that hypoxia suits well as an etiological factor in AKP.