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The relationship between quadriceps strength and joint position sense, functional outcome and painful activities in patellofemoral pain syndrome

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate how strongly the concentric and eccentric quadriceps strengths were correlated with the joint position sense, functional outcomes and painful activities in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS).

Methods

The study included forty-six women diagnosed with unilateral PFPS. Eccentric and concentric quadriceps strengths were recorded at 60 and 180°/s. Active knee joint position sense (JPS) was measured at 20° and 60° of flexion. Functional levels were determined by using Kujala patellofemoral scores. Pain levels during stair descending and ascending, squatting and prolonged sitting were measured using 0–10 cm visual analogue scale. The relationship of isokinetic quadriceps strength with JPS results, Kujala score and pain levels were evaluated using Spearman’s correlation coefficient test.

Results

Eccentric and concentric quadriceps strengths were significantly lower on involved side than uninvolved side. JPS results were poorer on the painful knee when compared to uninvolved side. While eccentric strength correlated with both JPS target angles, concentric strength was correlated only with 20°. Both eccentric and concentric strengths were significantly correlated with Kujala scores and pain levels.

Conclusion

Quadriceps eccentric strength was correlated more to joint position sense than concentric strength. Both eccentric and concentric quadriceps strength related to pain and functional level in PFPS patients.

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Acknowledgments

Authors declare that they have no sponsor in the study design, in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in writing of the manuscript; and in the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

Conflict of interest

All authors have no conflicts of interest with respect to the data collected and procedures used within this study.

Ethical standard

The authors confirm this study meets the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki. Ethical approval for the study was received, and written informed consent was provided from all subjects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hacettepe University, 06100, Ankara, Turkey

    Hande Guney & Inci Yuksel

  2. Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Biruni University, 34010, Istanbul, Turkey

    Defne Kaya

  3. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, 06100, Ankara, Turkey

    Mahmut Nedim Doral

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  1. Hande Guney
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  2. Inci Yuksel
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  4. Mahmut Nedim Doral
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Correspondence to Hande Guney.

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Guney, H., Yuksel, I., Kaya, D. et al. The relationship between quadriceps strength and joint position sense, functional outcome and painful activities in patellofemoral pain syndrome. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 24, 2966–2972 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-015-3599-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-015-3599-3

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