Comparison of patellar taping versus patellar bracing with exercise therapy on pain and function in females with patellofemoral pain syndrome

Objective: comparison of patellar taping versus patellar bracing with exercise therapy on pain and level of function in females with patellofemoral pain syndrome Design of the study: randomized clinical trial Inclusion criteria: Subjects 18-43 y age; Pain level 3 or more on a 10cm visual analog scale; Onset of pain at least 3weeks but no greater than 2 months; Atraumatic peripatellar or retropatellar knee pain during at least 2 activities of prolonged sitting, increase in physical activity, climbing stairs, squatting, kneeling, running and jumping; Pain on palpation of the medial and lateral facet of the patella; Unilateral patellofemoral pain syndrome Exclusion criteria: History of knee joint surgery; History of subluxation or dislocation of the patella, meniscal damage, ligamentous instability, patellar tendon pathology and chondral damage; Clinical evidence of knee osteoarthritis; Spinal referred pain; Corticosteroid injection in the knee joint within the past 3 months; Pregnancy or the possibility of pregnancy; History of knee joint trauma; Neurological and orthopedic impairment that affected balance Sample size: 30 females with unilateral patellefemoral pain syndrome Interventions: the subjects is randomaly assigned to patellar taping with exercise therapy group and patellar bracing with exercise therapy group Duration of interventions: subjects complete 9 treatment sessions provide 3 times per week for 3 weeks Main outcome measures: pain, subjective and objective function is measured before and after interventions, pain intensity is quantified using a 10-cm visual analog scale, subjective function is assessed using kujala patellofemoral scale and objective function is also examined using performance functional tests.

Vice chancellor for research, Ahvaz Jundishapor University Of Medical Sciences