Is there a correlation in frontal plane knee kinematics between running and performing a single leg squat in runners with patellofemoral pain syndrome and asymptomatic runners?

Abstract

Background: Knee kinematics when running, specifically knee valgus, have been linked to patellofemoral pain syndrome. Assessing running biomechanics requires skill, equipment and time. Clinically, the single leg squat is used to make inferences about knee kinematics during running. No evidence supports this practice. Methods: Sixteen asymptomatic runners and sixteen runners with patellofemoral pain syndrome were recruited. Asymptomatic runners were subdivided by dominant and non-dominant leg and runners with patellofemoral pain syndrome by painful and non-painful leg. This gave four groups. Participants were videoed performing single leg squats and running on a treadmill. Frontal plane knee kinematics were calculated using the frontal plane projection angle. Correlation in frontal plane projection angle between running and single leg squat were calculated using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Differences in frontal plane projection angle between groups for running and single leg squat were calculated using multiple independent t-tests with Bonferroni correction. Findings: Correlation in frontal plane projection angle between running and the single leg squat was not statistically significant for the painful leg group (p = 0.19) but was for the remaining groups (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in frontal plane projection angle between the four groups when running. Single leg squat frontal plane projection angle was significantly larger for the painful leg group (10.3°) than the dominant leg (−0.2°(p = 0.003)) and non-dominant leg (−0.4°(p = 0.004)) in the asymptomatic runners group. Interpretation: The single leg squat cannot be used to make inferences about frontal plane knee kinematics in running gait in patellofemoral pain syndrome sufferers.

The Running Readiness Scale as an Assessment of Kinematics Related to Knee Injury in Novice Female Runners

“…Consistent with those results, frontal plane projection angle-a 2-dimensional measure of knee abduction-was significantly correlated between running and single-leg squats in healthy runners. 11 That relation, however, was not significant in injured runners. Ostensibly, in injured runners, the higher loads during running elicit pain, which may alter their movement patterns during running.…”

“…In previous research, frontal plane projection angles (i.e., a two-dimensional measure of knee abduction) measured during single-leg squats and running were significantly correlated in asymptomatic runners. 11 That suggests that single-leg squats and hopping may be valid tasks to assess whether a runner would display aberrant frontal plane kinematics during running. Frontal plane projection angle was also significantly correlated with knee internal rotation during singleleg squats.…”

Running related biomechanical risk factors for overuse injuries in distance runners: A systematic review considering injury specificity and the potentials for future research

“…Twenty-three studies (four prospective and 19 retrospective) were included in the systematic review [31,[58][59][60][61][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73][74][75][76][77][78]. These studies analysed in total 114 potential RRRFs (SDC).…”

The impact of exercise of lower limbs on dynamic balance and valgus of the knees among young footballers

“…The author used the test of valgus as an angle of knee displacement in the frontal plane ≥15˚ from the starting position. In the available literature, most researchers used the criterion of knee displacement angle in the frontal plane >0˚ [32] or >10˚ [47].…”