Which option is NOT a PFPS subtype?

• A. Overuse/overload PFPS
• B. Muscle power deficit
• C. Movement coordination deficit
• D. Ligament laxity PFPS

Answer: (D)

Patellofemoral pain is understood to arise from different mechanisms related to how the knee is loaded and controlled during movement. The subtypes describe overload from repetitive activity, weakness of key muscles, and impaired neuromuscular coordination that disrupts patellar tracking. A ligament laxity-based classification isn’t considered a PFPS subtype because laxity is a structural predisposition that can contribute to instability, rather than a primary mechanism of patellofemoral pain itself. Overuse/overload explains pain from repetitive knee bending and cumulative joint stress; muscle power deficit points to weakness in the quadriceps and hip stabilizers that impairs patellar control; movement coordination deficit reflects faulty timing and sequencing of hip/knee muscles leading to abnormal tracking and increased patellofemoral loading.