Patellar angle in Osgood-Schlatter disease.

A new patellar angle is described in lateral radiographs of the knee joint. One line is drawn along the articular surface of the patella and another from the end of the inferior articular cartilage to the patellar apex. The angle formed by these two lines averaged 33 degrees in 68 knees joints afflicted with Osgood-Schlatter disease and 47 degrees in 71 age-matched controls and 198 adult controls. The small angle in Osgood-Schlatter disease is proposed to be an important factor in the pathogenesis of the traction apophysitis.