PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN SYNDROME - A CRITICAL-REVIEW OF THE CLINICAL-TRIALS ON NONOPERATIVE THERAPY

Many therapies have been advocated for treating patellofemoral pain, w hich suggests little consensus on optimal treatment, We reviewed the h igh-quality evidence for successful treatment of patellofemoral syndro me based on successful outcome information. To achieve this goal, we u ndertook a systematic search and critical appraisal of the literature on patellofemoral pain syndrome, Our definition of patellofemoral pain syndrome was broad and included patients with cartilage damage. We fo und five randomized controlled trials and some follow-up studies, The prognoses for most new cases of patellofemoral pain syndrome are good, although a proportion of patients with this syndrome will have persis tent symptoms. Quadriceps muscle exercises were effective in treating this condition, and knee braces were not. Both prostheses and intramus cular glycosaminoglycan polysulfate had encouraging results for patien ts; however, these results need confirmation. There were many studies of biomechanics, which indicates that there is an assumption that an a lteration of abnormal biomechanics would result in clinical benefit. S tudies are needed that place more emphasis on the therapeutic benefit. There is limited evidence on which to base therapy, and there needs t o be more high-quality research. Studies need to be longer, account fo r factors that predispose the patients, and have a more standardized m eans of assessing outcomes.