The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a combined exercise intervention consisting of lower extremity complex exercises using a sling and intrinsic foot muscle exercises on pain, lower extremity function, and muscle activity in in...
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a combined exercise intervention consisting of lower extremity complex exercises using a sling and intrinsic foot muscle exercises on pain, lower extremity function, and muscle activity in individuals with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS).
A total of 30 participants with PFPS were recruited and randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 15) or a control group (n = 15). The experimental group performed lower extremity complex exercises using a sling combined with intrinsic foot muscle exercises, whereas the control group performed only lower extremity complex exercises using a sling. Both groups participated in their respective exercise programs twice a week for 40 minutes per session at S Center in Daegu, over a total intervention period of 4 weeks.
Outcome measures included the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, the Kujala Patellofemoral Score (KPS) for lower extremity function, dynamic knee valgus angle (DVA), navicular drop test (NDT), and muscle activity. All variables were assessed before and after the intervention.
The results showed that the experimental group demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in pain compared to the control group. In addition, lower extremity function significantly improved in the experimental group compared to the control group. The dynamic knee valgus angle significantly decreased in the experimental group, and the navicular drop test also showed a significantly greater reduction in the experimental group than in the control group.
Regarding muscle activity, no significant differences were observed within or between groups in the vastus medialis obliquus, gluteus medius, and gluteus maximus. However, the vastus lateralis showed a significant increase in the experimental group compared to the control group in the between-group comparison.
These findings suggest that a combined intervention of sling-based lower extremity complex exercises and intrinsic foot muscle exercises is effective in reducing pain and improving function in individuals with PFPS. In particular, this intervention appears to be more effective than sling exercise alone in improving dynamic knee valgus and foot alignment, as indicated by reductions in DVA and NDT. Therefore, this combined approach may be considered an effective intervention strategy for simultaneously addressing knee mechanics, intrinsic foot muscle function, and hip stability during functional activities.