Effectiveness of static quadriceps stretching in individuals with patellofemoral joint pain.

OBJECTIVE

To determine if a 3-week static stretching program would increase quadriceps muscle flexibility in patellofemoral joint pain syndrome (PJPS) individuals.

DESIGN

Pretest/posttest control group design.

SETTING

Institutional based clinical rehabilitation setting.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants (n = 83) were between the ages of 18 and 45 years of age with no history of surgery or trauma to the hip, knee, or lower leg region.

INTERVENTION

Participants were sorted into normal and PJPS groups via orthopaedic assessment of knee pain and function, and their quadriceps flexibility was evaluated. All subjects completed a 3-week static quadriceps stretching program. Flexibility, knee pain, and function were then reassessed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Parametric and nonparametric tests were used to compare the groups' pre and poststretching knee pain, function, and quadriceps flexibility scores.

RESULTS

Prestretching anthropometric and physical activity data illustrated that the groups were homogenous, with severity of knee pain, joint dysfunction, and quadriceps flexibility being the prime differences. Following the stretching program, a significant improvement in flexibility was detected for both groups, and the PJPS group reported a significant decrease in knee pain and improved joint function. However, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients indicated that changes in quadriceps flexibility were poorly correlated with changes in knee pain and function.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms the effectiveness of a 3-week static stretching regimen for enhancing quadriceps flexibility and knee joint function, but fails to demonstrate a statistical relationship between quadriceps flexibility and the severity of knee pain and joint dysfunction in a PJPS population.