Discerns the initial symptoms: A qualitative study exploring the experiences of individuals with patellofemoral arthritis in Gujarat, India

Background: Patellofemoral arthritis is an under-recognized condition in developing countries such as India. Patellofemoral arthritis is one of the early causes of knee pain, and it is prevalent in 39% of the population aged > 30 years. However, the earlier measures to reduce the burden are limited. Objectives Using qualitative study design this study, we aimed to explore the early experiences of patellofemoral arthritis symptoms among Indian population. Methods Purposive sampling was used to recruit 14 participants with early patellofemoral arthritis aged between 40 to 65 years from the regional hospital of Gujarat, India. Expert orthopedic surgeons confirmed the diagnosis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and audio recorded. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using pen and paper. Data were analyzed using Inductive thematic analysis. Results The Mean age of the recruited participants were 48 years, and 64% were female out of n = 14 participants. The highlighted symptoms were occasional sounds from the knee during stair activity, going down to the floor, hurdling while sitting to stand, prolonged sitting in a chair, exposure to cold, anterior knee pain, more aggravated at night, limitation in activity than the previous episode such as squatting, rising from the floor, stair ambulation, prolong walking and kneeling. Therefore, we selected four domains: pain, Crepitus, stiffness, and difficulty in functional activity from the initial experiences reported by an individual with patellofemoral arthritis. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the initial symptoms of patellofemoral arthritis usual as knee pain. The mentioned symptoms reflect the individual experience of the Indian community; thus, it must be considered a prime concern for measurement to strengthen the preventive measure of the condition.