Long-term effects of medical exercise therapy in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome.
This poor quality RCT evaluated the long-term effect of high-dose, high-repetition medical exercise therapy (MET) in 40 patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). Follow-up testing was at one year in the primary healthcare physiotherapy clinics.
28 patients (underpowered) with PFPS completed follow-up testing, fourteen in each group – a large loss to follow up with no intention to treat analysis conducted. The groups received three treatments per week for 12 weeks: high-dose, high-repetition MET for the experimental group, and low-dose, low-repetition exercise therapy for the control group. Outcome measures were VAS, Step-Down test and modified Functional Index Questionnaire.
At baseline there were no differences between groups. After intervention, there were statistically significant and clinically important differences between groups for all outcome parameters, also when adjusting for gender and duration of symptoms. At follow-up the differences between groups were maintained and even increased for mean pain and step-down with significant differences between groups.
There appear to be long-term effects of high-dose, high-repetition MET in patients with PFPS with respect to pain and functional outcomes. One year after completed intervention the experimental group has continued to improve, while the control group has relapsed. > From: Osteras et al., Physiotherapy (2013) (Epub ahead of print). All rights reserved to The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.
The Pubmed summary of the article can be found here.
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