Evaluation of the Results of Closed Kinetic Chain Exercises in Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Evaluation of The Results of Closed Kinetic Chain Exercises Applied in The Conservative Treatment of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome by Means of Shear Wave Elastography: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Non-selective closed kinetic chain exercises and or selective closed kinetic chain exercises has been shown to increase Vastus medialis obliquus muscle power in patellofemoral pain syndrome. However, the superiority of the exercises to each other has not been shown.

This study aimed to evaluating the effects of different exercises on the stiffness of the Vastus medialis obliquus and vastus lateralis muscles, pain management, functional scores, and thigh circumferences.

This randomized-controlled clinical trial included 40 patients (20 male and 20 female) who were admitted to hospital and who were clinically diagnosed with single-sided patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) and 40 healthy controls (20 male and 20 female). Each group were randomized into subgroups according to diseased side of the PFPS group (40 knees), healthy side of the PFPS group (40 knees) and both side of the healthy control group (80 knees). Randomization was applied with random-number generator (Research Randomizer. Version 4.0). Only one of the authors was aware of randomization. Examiner and patient were blind to the relevant group. Non-selective closed kinetic chain and selective closed kinetic chain exercises were applied for 6 weeks in all groups. Thigh circumference measurement was performed 5-10 cm above the upper pole of the patella. In addition, evaluation was made with visual analog score (VAS) and Lysholm Knee Score (LKS) score. Vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles of the participants were measured with Shear Wave Elastography 1 day before the therapy and 6 weeks after therapy. Written informed consent was taken from each patient.This study is in line with the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was obtained by the Local Ethics Committee (17/07/2016-258642).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Having peripatellar/retropatellar pain while sitting,going up and down the stairs
• Walking for a long time, crouching down, running, and kneeling down
• Having a VAS score of ≥3 during the evaluation and not developing these symptoms on a traumatic basis

Exclusion Criteria:

• Tendinitis
• Osgood-Schlatter Syndrome
• Traumatic hip or knee injuries
• Osteoarthritis
• Plica syndrome
• Sinding-Larsen-Johansson syndrome
• Ligamentous instability
• Spinal pain
• Chondral lesion
• Patellar tendon pathology
• Distraction apophysitis of knee circumference