Lower Limb Kinematics Factors in Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is one of the most prevalent injuries in runners. Unfortunately, a substantial part of injured athletes do not recover fully from PFP in the long-term. Although previous studies have shown positive effects of gait retraining in this condition, retraining protocols often lack clinical applicability because they are time-consuming, costly for patients and require a treadmill. The primary objective of this study will be to compare the effects of two different two-week partially supervised gait retraining programs, with a control intervention; on pain, function and lower limb kinematics of runners with PFP. It will be a single-blind randomized clinical trial with six-month follow-up. The study will be composed of three groups: a group focusing on impact (group A), a group focusing on cadence (group B), and a control group that will not perform any intervention (group C). The primary outcome measure will be pain assessed using the Visual Analog Pain scale during running. Secondary outcomes will include pain during daily activities (usual), symptoms assessed using the Patellofemoral Disorders Scale and lower limb running kinematics in the frontal (contralateral pelvic drop; hip adduction) and sagittal planes (foot inclination; tibia inclination; ankle dorsiflexion; knee flexion) assessed using the MyoResearch 3.14—MyoVideo (Noraxon U.S.A. Inc.). The study outcomes will be evaluated before (t0), immediately after (t2), and six months (t24) after starting the protocol. Our hypothesis is that both partially supervised gait retraining programs will be more effective in reducing pain, improving symptoms, and modifying lower limb kinematics during running compared with the control group, and that the positive effects from these programs will persist for six months. Also, we believe that one gait retraining group will not be superior to the other. Results from this study will help improve care in runners with PFP, while maximizing clinical applicability as well as time and cost-effectiveness.

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INFLUENCE OF THE COMPLEX CORRECTION TECHNIQUE TO STRENGTH OF THE QUADRICEPS FEMORIS MUSCLE OF PATIENTS WITH PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN SYNDROME

Russian Journal of Physiotherapy Balneology and Rehabilitation ◽

10.18821/1681-3456-2018-17-2-72-75 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 17 (2) ◽

pp. 72-75

Author(s):

Elena Sergeevna Prokhorova ◽

V. V Ar’kov ◽

M. R Makarova

Keyword(s):

Knee Joint ◽

Lower Limb ◽

Pain Syndrome ◽

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome ◽

Patellofemoral Pain ◽

Quadriceps Femoris ◽

Main Group ◽

Lumbosacral Spine ◽

Outpatient Basis ◽

Correction Technique

In 40 patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome, before and after the course of treatment, the strength indices of the hip muscles were studied by isokinetic dynamometry, as well as the severity of the pain syndrome in the knee joint and the lumbosacral spine according to the visual analogue scale. The patients of the main group (n = 20) used the technique of complex correction of the pelvic region and lower limb, which was mainly aimed at stabilizing the lumbosacral spine. Patients of the control group (n = 20) performed therapeutic gymnastics aimed at training the muscles of only the interested lower limb. The treatment was performed on an outpatient basis daily for 21 days. After the course of treatment in patients of the main group, the strengths of the quadriceps femoris were significantly higher (p < 0.05), and the degree of pain in the knee joint and lumbar spine was significantly lower (p < 0.05). The obtained data confirm the necessity and expediency of including exercises for stabilization of the lumbosacral spine in the rehabilitation program for patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome.

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Gender Differences in Lower Limb Kinematics During Stair Descent

Journal of Applied Biomechanics ◽

10.1123/jab.29.4.413 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 29 (4) ◽

pp. 413-420 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Rodrigo de M. Baldon ◽

Daniel F.M. Lobato ◽

Leonardo Furlan ◽

Fábio Serrão

Keyword(s):

Lower Limb ◽

Knee Flexion ◽

Knee Injuries ◽

Pain Syndrome ◽

Iliotibial Band ◽

Iliotibial Band Syndrome ◽

Stair Descent ◽

Medial Rotation ◽

Limb Kinematics ◽

Lower Limb Kinematics

The purpose of this study was to compare lower limb kinematics between genders during stair descent. Fifteen females and fifteen males who were healthy and active were included in this study. The lower limb kinematics (pelvis, femur and knee) in the coronal and transversal planes were assessed during stair descent at 30°, 40°, 50° and 60° of knee flexion. The study found that females showed greater knee medial rotation for all the knee flexion angles (P= .02−.001), greater femoral adduction (P= .01 for all variables), with exception for 30° (P= .13), and greater femoral lateral rotation at 60° (P= .04). Females also showed a trend to have greater knee valgus at all the knee flexion angles (P= .06−.11) as well as less contralateral pelvis elevation at 50° and 60° (P= .10 and .12, respectively). This study showed that females carry out the stair descent with a lower limb alignment that might predispose them to develop overuse knee injuries, such as the iliotibial band syndrome and patellofemoral pain syndrome. Further prospective investigations should be carried out to verify whether these variables are factors that could predict these knee injuries.

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