Template:Knee Pain DDX

Differential Diagnoses

Focal anterior

• Patellar tendinopathy or tear
• Quadriceps tendinopathy or tear
• Hoffa's Fat Pad Inflammation
• Prepatellar Bursitis and Infrapatellar Bursitis
• Osgood-schlatter
• Sinding-Larsen Syndrome

Vague or diffuse anterior

• Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
• Osteoarthritis exacerbation
• Patellar dislocation or subluxation
• Referred hip pain
• Avascular necrosis
• Patellar Stress Fractures
• Anterior cruciate ligament tear
• Osteochondral defect
• Posterior cruciate ligament tear
• Tibiofemoral dislocation
• Parameniscal cyst

Medial

• Medial meniscal tear
• MCL tear
• Medial Plica Syndrome
• Pes anserine bursitis/tendinopathy
• Osteoarthritis exacerbation
• Saphenous nerve entrapment

Lateral

• Lateral meniscus tear
• Posterolateral corner injury
• Patellar dislocation or subluxation
• Lateral collateral ligament tear
• Iliotibial Band Syndrome
• Osteoarthritis exacerbation
• Osteochondral lesion lateral femoral condyle
• Popliteus Tendinopathy
• Biceps Femoris Tendinoapthy
• Semimembranosus Tendinopathy/bursitis
• Fibula head fracture
• Proximal Tibiofibular Joint Instability
• Snapping Biceps Femoris and Popliteus Tendons
• Peroneal Nerve Compression/Neuritis

Posterior

• Baker's or popliteal cyst
• Popliteus Tendinopathy
• Popliteal artery aneurysm
• Popliteal artery entrapment
• Posterior capsule tear
• Posterior cruciate ligament tear
• Tibiofemoral dislocation

Effusion present without trauma

• Osteochondral injury
• Osteoarthritis exacerbation
• Rheumatological disease (gout, RA, psoriatic arthritis)
• Septic arthritis