Affiliations: [a] Department of Physical Therapy for Musculoskeletal Disorders and Its Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt | [b] Department of Medical Rehabilitation, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia | [c] Department of Physical Therapy for Musculoskeletal Disorders and Its Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt | [d] Department of Biomechanics, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt | [e] Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt | [f] Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, Lebanon
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Hamada Ahmed Hamada, Lecturer of Biomechanics, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. Tel.: +20 1117893697; E-mail: Hamada.Ahmed@pt.cu.edu.eg.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Patellofemoral osteoarthritis is a common presentation in the outpatients’ physical therapy clinics. The muscle imbalance between the vastus medialis oblique and vastus lateralis muscles is one of the main factors that lead to the development of this condition. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of a squatting versus squatting with hip adduction in management of patellofemoral osteoarthritis. METHODS: Patients in group A received a traditional physical therapy program in addition to squatting exercise and those in group B received a traditional physical therapy program in addition to squatting with hip adduction exercise for four weeks. The primary outcome measures were pain on the numerical rating scale (NRS) and performance of functional activities by Kujala scale, while the secondary outcomes were vastus medialis oblique (VMO) and vastus lateralis (VL) amplitudes as well as the VMO:VL ratio by surface electromyography were considered before and after intervention. RESULTS: Thirty patients (group A n= 15; group B n= 15) were randomized and analyzed. Comparing both groups post-program revealed that there was no significant difference between both groups regarding the vastus medialis oblique activity, VMO:VL ratio, pain intensity and performance of functional activities. CONCLUSION: Both a traditional physical therapy program in addition to squatting exercise and a traditional physical therapy program in addition to squatting exercise with hip adduction are effective in reduction of pain intensity increases performance of functional activities, and vastus medialis oblique amplitude. However, there is no superiority of one program over the other.
