Squatting re-education with lumbo-pelvic-thigh muscle cocontraction improves functional performance in patellofemoral pain syndrome: a case presentation

Anterior knee pain, with or without joint crepitus during squatting, is the common clinical feature in the individuals with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). Altered lower extremity alignment and lumbo-pelvic-thigh muscles motor control is often associated with PFPS. Although current interventions recommend individual muscle activation and strength training exercises, the reported benefits of cocontraction−based exercises in PFPS is limited. This might be due to the long-standing hypothesis that exercise-induced cocontraction of thigh muscles may induce a negative effect by increasing the joint contact forces in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. This case report demonstrates that neuromuscular re-education performed with lumbo-pelvic-thigh muscle cocontraction may improve functional performance and reduce patellofemoral joint crepitus in PFPS. Further controlled trials are necessary to generalize these results.