Chronic patellofemoral pain syndrome: alternatives for cases of therapy resistance

This study compared the efficacy of two approaches to treating therapy-resi stant patellofemoral pain syndrome. In a prospective randomized study 20 pa tients were treated for 8 weeks with 16 physiotherapeutic exercises on a ne urophysiological basis (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) while an other 20 patients underwent a special training program using a special resi stance-controlled knee splint for 15 min three times daily. We measured mus cle activity on a Cybex 6000 and performed surface electromyography of the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis muscles. Anterior knee pain was assess ed by the Bessette and Hunter score and a visual analogue scale. An increas e in electromyographic activity in the vastus medialis muscle and significa nt improvement in individual comfort were observed only in those treated by knee splint. The knee splint thus proved more effective than proprioceptiv e neuromuscular facilitation for treating cases of patellofemoral pain synd rome resistant to conservative therapy.