PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN IN FEMALE BALLET DANCERS - CORRELATION WITH ILIOTIBIAL BAND TIGHTNESS AND TIBIAL EXTERNAL ROTATION

Review of the literature reveals that ballet dancers have a high incid ence of idiopathic patellofemoral pain. Twenty-four female ballet danc ers were subjects in a study of the relationship between: 1) iliotibia l band (ITB) tightness and patellofemoral pain, and 2) ITB tightness a nd degrees of tibial external rotation used in the dance demi-plie. Da ncers were initially assessed by questionnaire to determine if any had knee pain. Twelve subjects mel the study criteria for patellofemoral pain, and 12 dancers without knee pain served as controls for the stud y. Iliotibial band tightness was measured (Ober test), and degrees of tibial external rotation used during knee flexion (demi-plie) in stand ing were measured in both legs of all 24 subjects (48 legs). Chi-squar e analysis of the collected data revealed that there was an associatio n between ITB tightness and patellofemoral pain in the dancers. Data a nalysis using the Wilcoxon Rank Sum test revealed that the degree of t ibial external rotation used by dancers with iliotibial band tightness was significantly greater than those without ITB tightness. This stud y confirms the assumption that ITB tightness in dancers may be a contr ibuting factor to patellofemoral pain. Follow-up study is indicated to determine if the preservation or restoration of functional ITB length is effective in the prevention and/or treatment of patellofemoral pai n in ballet dancers.