A 17-year-old male (BMI 24.4) with no significant prior surgical or medical history presented to the emergency department for evaluation, consultation, and management of the left knee pain. He was injured while he was playing in the outfield for his high school basketball team. After a sudden deceleration, he felt immediate pain in the suprapatellar region of his left knee. He presented to the emergency department with an immobilizer brace and crutches. He denied any antecedent events and had been exercising regularly for the upcoming basketball matches.
Physical examination of the knee revealed a passive range of motion from 20 degrees of flexion to 110 degrees of flexion. A severe effusion was present, and he was tender to palpation along his anterior, lateral patella. A palpable defect was appreciated at the superolateral pole of the patella. He was unable to perform single…
