There are many diagnoses that can be attributed to pain that sometimes occurs in the anterior portion of the knee, one of the diagnoses is patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). According to Petersen et. al, patellofemoral pain syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion mainly because this term is used when the patient has no structural changes to their knee such as increased q-angle or any significant changes in the articular cartilage that is present within the knee. PFPS is multifactorial in that it has the possibility of involving several different functional disorders that could be present in the lower extremity. Some of the disorders associated with patellofemoral pain syndrome include iliotibial tightness, imbalance between the vastus lateralis …show more content…
Petersen and colleagues state that the dynamic valgus alignment is seen more often in females than males and this neuromuscular mechanism, and others than may be present, combined with biomechanical mechanisms could be the link to the pathogenesis of patellofemoral pain syndrome in young females. As stated by Petersen et al., some studies have determined that when one’s knee joint experiences a valgus collapse during a one-legged squat, weakness of the hip abductors is indicated. Other studies have shown some people, particularly females, may experience higher muscle forces during both running and walking, which may lead to increased joint stress and joint contact force in those suffering from PFPS. Despite all the research that has been done, as of now no functional disorder has been named as the exact cause of pain in patients with patellofemoral pain …show more content…
Now, however, more recent studies, such as the one conducted by Bolgla and colleagues, have posited that PFPS may be linked to weakness of the hip muscles, therefore leading to it being viewed as a problem of both the hip and knee. This hypothesis may have some substance when one considers that any correctional biomechanical interventions should work the entire kinetic chain from the foot/ankle complex to the hip, as stated by Willy et al. Female patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome have strength and neuromuscular activity deficits in the muscles of the knee and hip muscles, this is evidenced in the studies conducted by Robinson et al., Ireland and colleagues, and Bolgla et al. In all three of the preceding studies, significantly different deficits in the strength of hip external rotation and abduction were evidenced. In addition, Robinson and colleagues noted a deficit in hip extension strength that was significantly different, and Bolgla et al. took note that there was a deficit in the force output of the knee extensors that was not significantly different. In Bolgla et al.’s study, electromyographic amplitudes of the gluteus medius activation were significantly higher, which may have indicated the need for the neuromuscular activity of this muscle to be increased so that the task being tested could be completed. The results gathered by Ireland and colleagues indicate a