| Abstract | OBJECTIVES: To examine the efficacy of electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback supplementation to exercise rehabilitation for people with patellofemoral pain syndrome. DESIGN: Double-blinded randomized clinical controlled pilot trial. SETTING: Clinical setting with home programme. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-six subjects diagnosed with patellofemoral pain. Intervention: Subjects were randomly assigned into EMG biofeedback+exercise group or exercise-only group. All subjects participated in an eight-week home exercise programme, while the biofeedback group also received EMG visual feedback of their quadriceps muscle activities during the exercises. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Isokinetic knee extension strength, patellar alignments and perceived pain severity were assessed in weeks 0, 4 and 8 for all subjects. The data within and between groups were compared by repeated measures ANOVA with alpha=0.05. RESULTS: Both groups improved in isokinetic peak torque (P=0.005), work output (P=0.037) and patellar alignments (P=0.001-0.014). Besides, there was a trend of decrease in pain (P=0.088). The biofeedback group improved faster than the exercise group in lateral patellar rotation and peak torque per body weight, although no statistically significant difference was shown. CONCLUSION: Biofeedback supplement to the exercise programme might hasten the improvement for subjects with patellofemoral pain in the first few weeks of a physiotherapy exercise programme, but this needs further study before being used. |
| Authors | Selina L M Yip, Gabriel Y F Ng
(Affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Department of Physiotherapy, Yan Chai Hospital, Hong Kong, China.)
|
| Journal | Clinical rehabilitation
(Clin Rehabil)
Vol. 20
Issue 12
Pg. 1050-7
(Dec 2006)
ISSN: 0269-2155 England |
| PMID | 17148516
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
|
| Topics |
- Adult
- Combined Modality Therapy
- Double-Blind Method
- Electromyography
- Exercise Therapy
- Feedback
- Female
- Humans
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
(rehabilitation)
- Pilot Projects
|
