Patellar tilt test
For: Patellofemoral pain
Pain around or behind the kneecap, where it glides on the thigh bone. Typically worse with squatting, stairs and prolonged sitting.
Treat with caution (see below)Caution: Pooled from very few studies; the review describes only a trend towards usefulness.
What the numbers mean
- Positive result: see the caution above before relying on this result.
- Negative result: barely informative: a negative result changes little.
Work out what a result means for your patient: probability calculator
Source
Nunes GS, Stapait EL, Kirsten MH, de Noronha M, Santos GM. Clinical test for diagnosis of patellofemoral pain syndrome: Systematic review with meta-analysis. Phys Ther Sport. 2013;14(1):54–59. PubMed · meta-analysis
Figures as they will appear in Rule It In, Rule It Out (Trokos, forthcoming). If a newer or better study changes them, this page changes with the book. Figures last updated from the book on 6 October 2026.
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