Prevalence of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome and Its Impact on Quality of Life Among Recreational Athletes at Private Universities in Peshawar

Background: Patellofemoral pain syndrome is characterised by pain around or behind the kneecap, worsened by activities involving repetitive knee bending like running, squatting, or climbing stairs. University students engaged in recreational sports may suffer from this syndrome without proper diagnosis or preventive care, impacting their quality of life. Objective: To assess the prevalence and impact of patellofemoral pain syndrome among university students involved in recreational sports. Methodology: The study was a cross-sectional design conducted at different private universities in Peshawar, Pakistan, with a sample size of 188 participants selected through non-probability convenient sampling. Ethical approval was obtained from the Research Committee of City University of Science and Information Technology and the Research Committees of the concerned private universities at Peshawar. Inclusion criteria were students involved in recreational sports, aged 19 to 25 years, while those with knee surgery, systemic and inflammatory knee conditions, such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Tools used in the study were the SNAPPS Questionnaire for evaluating this syndrome and the short form 12 for assessing quality of Life. Data was analyzed using SPSS v 26. Association between different variables was found using Pearson's correlation. The p-value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 188 recreational athletes (84.6% male, 15.4% female), aged 19–25 years, participated. Cricket was the most played sport (55.3%), followed by badminton (23.4%) and football (14.4%). The prevalence of patellofemoral pain syndrome was 15.4%, significantly higher in females (31%) than males (12.6%) (p=0.011). Although 96.3% reported good quality of life, patellofemoral pain syndrome was significantly associated with reduced quality of life (p<0.001), explaining 15.8% of its variance. Conclusion: Patellofemoral pain syndrome is common among recreational athletes, especially females, and is linked to lower quality of life. Early detection and targeted care are key to improving outcomes and preventing long-term issues.