Intrinsic risk factors for the development of anterior knee pain in an athletic population - A two-year prospective study

Citation
E. Witvrouw et al., Intrinsic risk factors for the development of anterior knee pain in an athletic population - A two-year prospective study, AM J SP MED, 28(4), 2000, pp. 480-489
Citations number
65
Categorie Soggetti
Ortopedics, Rehabilitation & Sport Medicine
Journal title
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE
ISSN journal
03635465 → ACNP
Volume
28
Issue
4
Year of publication
2000
Pages
480 - 489
Database
ISI
SICI code
0363-5465(200007/08)28:4<480:IRFFTD>2.0.ZU;2-T
Abstract
Many variables have retrospectively been associated with the presence of an terior knee pain. Very few prospective data exist, however, to determine wh ich of these variables will lead to the development of anterior knee pain. It was our purpose in this study to determine the intrinsic risk factors fo r the development of anterior knee pain in an athletic population over a 2- year period. Before the start of training, 282 male and female students enr olled in physical education classes were evaluated for anthropometric varia bles, motor performance, general joint laxity, lower leg alignment characte ristics, muscle length and strength, static and dynamic patellofemoral char acteristics, and psychological parameters. During this 2-year follow-up stu dy, 24 of the 282 students developed patellofemoral pain. Statistical analy ses revealed a significant difference between those subjects who developed patellofemoral pain and those who did not concerning quadriceps and gastroc nemius muscle flexibility, explosive strength, thumb-forearm mobility, refl ex response time of the vastus medialis obliquus and vastus lateralis muscl es, and the psychological parameter of seeking social support. However, onl y a shortened quadriceps muscle, an altered vastus medialis obliquus muscle reflex response time, a decreased explosive strength, and a hypermobile pa tella had a significant correlation with the incidence of patellofemoral pa in, We concluded that the latter four parameters play a dominant role in th e genesis of anterior knee pain and we therefore deem them to be risk facto rs for this syndrome.