A l’initiative du Groupement d’Isocinétisme Belge et Luxembourgeois

6ème Journée Belge d’ISOCINETISME

Vendredi 14 et samedi 15 mars 2008

INTRINSIC RISK FACTORS RELATED TO PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN SYNDROME (PFPS) IN FEMALE RECRUITS

N. DUVIGNEAUD ¹, V. STEVENS ¹, E. BERNARD ¹, E. WITVROUW ², D. VAN TIGGELEN ^1,2

1 Military Hospital of Base Queen Astrid, Department of Traumatology & Rehabilitation, Section Evaluation, Prevention, Research & Development, Brussel, Belgium

2 Ghent University, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Gent, Belgium

Email : nathalie.duvigneaud@mil.be

Objective:

To investigate the influence of anthropometric characteristics, intrinsic factors, muscle weakness and muscle imbalance in the development of PFPS among female recruits during their basic military training.

Methods:

20 female recruits aged from 18 to 34 years without medical history of PFPS volunteered to participate in this study. An isokinetic evaluation was performed before the start of the basic training (8-12 h/day during 6 weeks) and consisted of concentric contractions of the hamstrings and quadriceps at 60°/s and 240°/s, and of eccentric contractions at 30°/s.

Simultaneously, surface EMG activity of vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, biceps femoris and gastrocnemius were registered. In addition, the participants had to complete a detailed questionnaire and had to perform dynamic jumps. Body weight and height were measured.

Statistics:

The normal distribution of quantitative data was analyzed with the Shapiro-Wilk-test.

Independent sample t-tests, Mann-Whitney-U-tests and chi-square tests were used to compare female recruits with and without PFPS for different variables.

Results:

25 of the 62 female recruits developed PFPS during the basic training. From the isokinetic tests, the following parameters were found to be significantly different: peak torque extensors at 60°/s and 240°/s, the ratios peak torque extensors/body weight and peak torque extensors/BMI at 60°/s and 240°/s, and the ratio flexors/extensors at 60°/s. We also observed that the female recruits who expected injuries were more likely to present one.

Conclusions:

A diminished isokinetic concentric quadriceps force may contribute to the development of PFPS among female recruits. The expectation to develop injuries is also significantly related to PFPS.