Therapeutic Effect of Two Muscle Strengthening Programs in Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Therapeutic Effect of Two Muscle Strengthening Programs in Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome From Bogota, Colombia. Experimental Study, Clinical Controlled Trial

Introduction: The patellofemoral pain syndrome (SPF) is one of the most frequent pathologies generated by the knee joint. Conservative treatment with physiotherapy exercises reduces pain and improves functional capacity in the short and medium term. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of combining a program of muscle strengthening exercises for the core, hip and knee on anterior knee pain in non-athletic patients with SPF. Materials and methods: Randomized controlled trial clinical trial, designed to evaluate the effect of two muscle strengthening programs in people with SPF (Group A: exercises for core, hip and knee, Group B: exercises for hip and knee), during eight weeks of intervention in people between 15 and 40 years of age, with a clinical diagnosis of SPF, with a level of mild to moderate physical activity. The Kujala test was used to measure pain and quality of life.

Experimental study: controlled clinical trial, designed to evaluate the effect of two muscle strengthening programs in people with patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Young adults between 15 and 40 years old, with clinical diagnosis of patellofemoral pain syndrome (by means of Computerized Axial Tomography and medical concept of a specialist Orthopedist in knee), in the last three years, non-athletes with a level of physical activity between mild and moderate, affiliated to the health care institution CAFAM (Caja de Compensación Familiar is a compensation fund of Colombia that has pharmacies, hotels, Convention Center, Recreation Club, School, among others and offers Subsidy Services, Credits, Insurance, Tourism, Health, Education, Housing).

All the procedures developed within the study had as a reference the standards of good clinical practice and ethical principles for medical research in humans. The participants signed the informed consent where they accepted their participation in the present study.

The participants were randomized with the SNOSE (sequentially numbered, opaque sealed envelopes) method to two protocols of muscular strengthening (Group A: Exercises for core, hip and knee and Group B: Exercises for Hip and Knee).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with a clinical diagnosis of patellofemoral misalignment with knee CT, aged between 15 and 40 years.
• Patients with clinical signs of retropatellar pain at rest or in the following activities: going up or down stairs, jumping, running, doing squats, kneeling, or sitting for a long time.
• Pain or apprehension to the mobilization of the patella.
• Crepitus with pain when performing squats.
• Confirmatory CT of unilateral or bilateral patellofemoral misalignment.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Clinical history or clinical evidence of patellofemoral dislocation, subluxation or osteoarthrosis of the knees.
• Dysfunction of the ligaments, bursa, meniscus, patellar tendon or synovial plica of the knee.
• Traumatic lesions of ligaments or meniscus or patients with osteoarthrosis secondary to congenital conditions.
• Clinical history of orthopedic surgery in lower limbs.