Changes in Knee Biomechanics after a Hip-Abductor: Strengthening Protocol for Runners with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Changes in Knee Biomechanics After a Hip-Abductor Strengthening Protocol for Runners With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
It has been hypothesized by many that a primary factor contributing to patellofemoral pain syndrome is muscle weakness in the hip-abductor. Because the hip-abductors control hip abduction, it is hypothesized that they also control knee genu valgum angle during the stage of running known as the “stance phase.” A greater genu valgum ange has been purported to increase patellofemoral contact pressure, in essence, leading to patellofemoral pain syndrome. Willson and Davis reported that patients with PFPS exhibited more significant hip adduction during single-leg squats, running, and repetitive single leg jumps. Willson and Davis assumed that this was caused by weaker hip abductor muscle but unfortunately that information was never collected. Later an experiment was conducted to investigate the relationship between the hip-abductor muscle and frontal-plane knee mechanics. A 3-week hip-abductor muscle strengthening experiment was conducted to measure possible changes in muscle strength, pain, and patient biomechanics for patients suffering from PFPS. It was hypothesized that PFPS patients who went through the 3-week protocol would have an increase in muscle strength,suffer from less pain, the peak knee genu valgum angle would decrease and stride-to-stride knee-joint variability would increase over baseline measures. All participants were active recreational athletes. They were divided into two groups, The PFPS group consisted of 5 men and 10 women and the control group consisted of 4 men and 6 women. The control group consisted of people who were pain, injury and surgery free within the past year. All categories were measured through a series of tests. Biomechanics were measured, pain was measured, hip abductor pain measured. After initial measurements were taken, the PFPS patients began their 3-week hip-abductor strengthening protocol, using a
It has been hypothesized by many that a primary factor contributing to patellofemoral pain syndrome is muscle weakness in the hip-abductor. Because the hip-abductors control hip abduction, it is hypothesized that they also control knee genu valgum angle during the stage of running known as the “stance phase.” A greater genu valgum ange has been purported to increase patellofemoral contact pressure, in essence, leading to patellofemoral pain syndrome. Willson and Davis reported that patients with PFPS exhibited more significant hip adduction during single-leg squats, running, and repetitive single leg jumps. Willson and Davis assumed that this was caused by weaker hip abductor muscle but unfortunately that information was never collected. Later an experiment was conducted to investigate the relationship between the hip-abductor muscle and frontal-plane knee mechanics. A 3-week hip-abductor muscle strengthening experiment was conducted to measure possible changes in muscle strength, pain, and patient biomechanics for patients suffering from PFPS. It was hypothesized that PFPS patients who went through the 3-week protocol would have an increase in muscle strength,suffer from less pain, the peak knee genu valgum angle would decrease and stride-to-stride knee-joint variability would increase over baseline measures. All participants were active recreational athletes. They were divided into two groups, The PFPS group consisted of 5 men and 10 women and the control group consisted of 4 men and 6 women. The control group consisted of people who were pain, injury and surgery free within the past year. All categories were measured through a series of tests. Biomechanics were measured, pain was measured, hip abductor pain measured. After initial measurements were taken, the PFPS patients began their 3-week hip-abductor strengthening protocol, using a