Maladaptive Psychosocial Beliefs and Adolescents With Patellofemoral Pain

Maladaptive Psychosocial Beliefs and Adolescents With Patellofemoral Pain

This is a randomized prospective study assessing the impact of psychosocial factors on pain and physical performance among adolescents with patellofemoral pain. A set of psychosocial surveys assessing fear avoidance beliefs, kinesiophobia, and pain catastrophizing will be completed by the participant/parents. Participants will then complete an activity questionnaire, numeric pain rating scale, and a self-report questionnaire of functional ability. Participants will then be randomized into one of two groups (psychologically informed education group and a control group). Participants will view a series of educational videos (based upon group assignment) and complete physical therapy exercises for lower extremity strengthening, flexibility, and neuromuscular control. Participants with patellofemoral pain will then complete follow-up surveys of their psychosocial beliefs, pain and self-reported functional ability through REDcap at immediately post-intervention, 1 week, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Having patellofemoral pain as defined as: Pain around or behind the patella, which is aggravated by at least one activity that loads the patellofemoral joint during weight bearing on a flexed knee (e.g., squatting, stair ambulation, jogging/running, hopping/jumping).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Prior history of patellar dislocation.
• Suspicion of other diagnosis of the knee by evaluating physical therapist or principal investigator.
• Other concomitant injury of the leg.
• Prior history of knee surgery.
• Red flags present for non-musculoskeletal involvement (bowel/bladder problems, saddle anesthesia, progressive neurological deficits, recent fever or infection, unexplained weight loss, unable to change symptoms with mechanical testing).
• Numbness and tingling in any lumbar dermatome.