Strength Around the Hip and Flexibility of Soft Tissues in Individuals With and Without Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Abstract

Study Design: Case control design. Objectives: To investigate whether differences exist in lower extremity muscle strength and soft tissue length between patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) and age-and gendermatched control subjects. Background: Based on our clinical experience and emerging data, impairments such as muscular weakness surrounding the hip and limited flexibility of key lower extremity muscles may be important impairments to consider in the conservative management of PFPS. Methods and Measures: Thirty patients with PFPS and 30 age-and gender-matched controls without PFPS (17 females and 13 males in each group) participated in the study. Data were collected during 1 testing session by an examiner not blinded to group assignment. Demographic, health history, physical activity levels, and pain and function were assessed using patientcompleted measures. Physical examination measures included assessment of hip external rotation strength, hip abduction strength, length of the iliotibial band/tensor fascia lata complex, gastrocnemius length, soleus length, and quadriceps and hamstrings muscles length. Results:Patients with PFPS demonstrated significantly less flexibility of the gastrocnemius, soleus, quadriceps, and hamstrings compared to healthy control subjects. No differences existed in flexibility of the iliotibial band/tensor fascia lata complex and strength of the hip external rotators and abductors. Multivariate stepwise discriminant analysis identified gastrocnemius length, hip abduction strength, and soleus length as being able to distinguish between patients with PFPS and healthy individuals without PFPS. Conclusion: This study suggests that further research is warranted regarding the association of these impairments of muscle strength and soft tissue length in patients with PFPS. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2005;35:793-801.

Eficácia a curto prazo do laser de baixa intensidade em pacientes com osteoartrite do joelho: ensaio clínico aleatório, placebo-controlado e duplo-cego

“…These were labeled A and B by figure 1 -Flow diagram for study design. on the quadriceps muscle at 60° of knee flexion (20) , 11-point visual numerical pain scale (VNPS) (21) and Lequesne algofunctional questionnaire (22) . The VNPS consisted of a ruler divided into 11 equal parts numbered from 0 to 10, in which 0 corresponded to "no pain" and 10 corresponded to the "worst pain imaginable".…”

Analysis of Hip Strength in Females Seeking Physical Therapy Treatment for Unilateral Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

“…4,17,29 In spite of the fact that intervention programs for the management of patients with PFPS include exercises aimed at improving the performance of the lateral hip musculature, we are aware of only 2 research reports that have investigated whether differences in hip strength exist between patients with PFPS and a control group. 12,20 Ireland et al 12 found that 15 female subjects with PFPS demonstrated 26% less hip abduction strength and 36% less hip external rotation strength when compared to 15 age-matched control subjects. In contrast, Piva et al 20 reported that there were no statistically significant differences in hip abduction or external rotation strength when 30 subjects with PFPS (17 females and 13 males) were compared with 30 age-and gender-matched control subjects.…”

“…12,20 Ireland et al 12 found that 15 female subjects with PFPS demonstrated 26% less hip abduction strength and 36% less hip external rotation strength when compared to 15 age-matched control subjects. In contrast, Piva et al 20 reported that there were no statistically significant differences in hip abduction or external rotation strength when 30 subjects with PFPS (17 females and 13 males) were compared with 30 age-and gender-matched control subjects. Different methods for stabilizing the dynamometer and different positions for testing hip external rotation strength may account for these conflicting results.…”

Effect of Laser Therapy on Chronic Osteoarthritis of the Knee in Older Subjects

“…33 Each patient performed knee flexion or extension for 5 repetitions as a warm up prior to the test. The maximal isometric muscle strength of knee flexor and extensor of the tested limb were measured for three trials.…”

“…The maximal isometric strength appeared automatically on the dynamometer screen. 33 Mean values of three trials were calculated for each patient.…”