Análise cinemática e da atividade muscular em mulheres saudáveis e com síndrome da dor femoropatelar durante o single leg triple hop test

Abstract

Delays in pre-activation or deficiencies in the activity of the dynamic muscle stabilizers of the knee and hip joints are the most common causes of the Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). The aim of the study was to compare kinematic variables and electromyographic activity of the vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles between patients with PFPS and health subjects during the single leg triple hop test (SLTHT). This cross-sectional study included 14 female (23.50 ± 2.02 years) with PFPS (PFPS group) and 14 female healthy (23.14 ± 3.35 years) with no history of knee pain (Healthy group). Kinematic and EMG data were collected through participants performed a single session of the SLTHT. The PFPS group exhibited a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the EMG activity of the biceps femoris and vastus lateralis muscles, when compared with the healthy group. This same result was also found for the vastus lateralis muscle (p <0.05) when analyzing the EMG activity during the eccentric phase (EXC-iEMG) of the stance phase. No significant difference was found in time activity of peak in any of the analyzed muscles, but in GSDFP was observed anticipation of the vastus lateralis muscle that changed the activity order in relation to the CG. In kinematic analysis, no significant differences were found between the groups. In tasks that involve a high neuromuscular control such as the single leg triple hop test, the muscles that act directly on the knee joint (biceps femoris and vastus lateralis) are more active among women with patellofemoral pain syndrome than among healthy women. These differences were not observed for the muscles that act on the hip (gluteus maximus and gluteus medius), as in previous studies.