The aim of the Copenhagen PF-Center is, through the four steps below, to explore the best treatment of patients with patellofemoral problems.
Step 1: The patient centered approach - It all starts and ends with the patient
First step is to develop a reliable and generally accepted patient-related outcome score, which can help measure the patients’ functionality and experience of quality of life. Development of a valid PROM for patients with PFI will make it possible to accurately evaluate and compare the effects of different treatment strategies – a prerequisite to improve understanding and treatment of the condition.
There is a long tradition and experience related to PROM development and validation at the Section for Sports Traumatology, Bispebjerg Hospital, in collaboration with the Research Unit for General Practice, and the Section of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen. We have dedicated a whole section of this website to the work on development of relevant PROMs:
Step 2: Evaluation of current treatment strategies and development of a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
Today, patients living in West-Denmark are treated according to a less invasive surgical treatment algorithm whereas patients in East-Denmark are treated according to an excessive surgical treatment algorithm. The objective is to evaluate the two existing treatment algorithms.
Step 3: Development of a Functional 3D Cinematic Model of the Lower Extremity
The objective is to develop a functional imaging-based 3D cinematic model of the lower extremity from the pelvis to the foot, with the purpose of developing a specific environment for surgical planning and virtual surgical intervention on the imaging-based 3D cinematic model.
Step 4: Surgical and non-surgical treatment of patients
Based on the knowledge generated by the previous steps, the objective is to develop new treatment algorithms and protocols for a randomized controlled trial comparing surgical and non-surgical treatment.