PATELLOFEMORAL

PAIN SYNDROME
RANEEN ALLOS AND ALICIA KOLACKI
PATIENT HISTORY

• Patient is a 28-year-old active female

• Chronic Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS)
• Presents w/ reduced pain tolerance and allodynia
• Reports running, ascending/descending stairs, squatting, or sitting for long periods of time
makes the pain worse
• Pain developed over last few months
CLINICAL QUESTION

• Will an active 28-year-old female with chronic patellofemoral pain

syndrome (P) achieve a meaningful change in outcome (O) with patellar taping (I) and
with therapeutic exercise (C)
INTRODUCTION & PURPOSE

• "PFPS is one of the most common causes of anterior knee pain encountered in the
outpatient setting in adolescents and adults younger than 60 years" 1
• Commonly known as “runner’s knee” 2
• PFPS can affect an individual’s ability to flex the knee during functional movements such
as ascending/descending stairs, squatting, and running
• The purpose of this study is the efficacy of patellar taping and therapeutic exercise in
decreasing pain and improving functionality for patients with patellofemoral pain
syndrome.
SUBJECTS

• Participants with anterior knee pain that is worsened with any flexion activities
• Recruited from out-patient clinics across Metro-Detroit
• Inclusion Criteria:
• Age between 25 and 45 years of age
• PFPS occurrence within the last 6 to 12 months
• Ability to follow instructions
• Moderate to very active
• 50% functional deficits due to knee pain
SUBJECTS

• Exclusion criteria:
• Presence of cognitive impairments
• Presence of edema in the knee
• Presence of severe pain that limits ability to perform and participate in therapeutic exercises

• 30 people in each group, 2 groups = 60 total participants

• Block Randomization to ensure 30 participants per group
METHODS: STUDY DESIGN

• 20 total sessions
• Follow up testing session one month after 20th visit
• Clinical trial phase III (2 groups of patients with patellofemoral syndrome)
• Group I: Exercise and taping
• Group II: Exercise only

• Secure objective measurements of patient's pain, strength, and range of motion

(ROM) at visit 1, visit 10 (midway), and visit 20 (final visit)
 METHODS: INTERVENTION

• Types of exercise – Targeting quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles

• Short and Long arc quads, heel raises, step up and step downs

• As patient progresses through sessions: Sit to stands, squats,Eccentric heel raises, Good Mornings,
and Romanian Deadlifts
• Taping (prior to the start of exercising)
• Rock Tape will be used and placed horizontally directly inferior to the patella
• 3 finger widths above the knee (split on either side of knee)
• Participant keeps tape on until it starts to fall off
• Participants in this group will be taped every session
https://www.rocktape.com/medical/guides/rocktape/
METHODS: INTERVENTION PROTOCOL

• Group I (Exercise and Taping)

• Physical therapist (PT) will apply tape (protocol explained in previous slide) when participant
arrives to the clinic.
• After screening participants for changes in pain, function, or ROM begin therapeutic exercises

• Group II (Exercise alone)

• Physical therapist will screen participant when they enter the clinic for changes in pain,
function, or ROM
• PT will begin therapeutic exercises with the patient
METHODS: DATA COLLECTION

• All these tests are performed at visit 1, 10, and 20.

• Visual analog scale (VAS)
• Knee ROM: Flexion and extension
• Hip ROM: Flexion and extension
• Walking on treadmill until pain occurs
• Documenting amount of time until pain occurs, speed of treadmill, and VAS post TM walk
PROPOSED STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

• A 2-way ANOVA test will be used if the data is normally distributed. Data from pre-test,
interim, and post-test (Visit 1, 10, 20) will be calculated
• Calculate after visit 20 to see true change in participants functionality and pain reduction

• If significant results are found, (p< 0.005) a post-hoc test is utilized to determine if
exercise and taping together are the true factors that lead to our results
ANTICIPATED RESULTS

• Efficacy of a combination of patellar taping and therapeutic exercise in patients with PFPS
will be supported
• Participants that received both taping and therapeutic exercise will show a greater increase in
pain tolerance than the group that only received exercise

• Participants will have a decrease in pain and improved strength and functionality in their
affected knee
• Limitations
• Groups may show bias to activity levels due to randomization
CONCLUSION

• In conclusion, our experiment would allow PT's to have evidence-based protocols to

treat patients who present with PFPS
• We assume that our results will prove that taping and exercise together are the best
option to reduce pain and allow patients to get back to their activities of daily living
• PT's will be able to easily utilize their taping techniques alongside their expertise in
creating an exercise plan to ensure the best care possible for their patients with PFPS
 REFERENCES

1. Gaitonde DY, Ericksen A, Robbins RC. Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome. Am Fam Physician. 2019;99(2):88-94.
2. Bump JM, Lewis L. Patellofemoral Syndrome. In: StatPearls.Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; May 8, 2021.
Kakar RS, Greenberger HB, McKeon PO. Efficacy of Kinesio Taping and McConnell Taping Techniques in
the Management of Anterior Knee Pain. J Sport Rehabil. 2020;29(1):79-86. doi:10.1123/jsr.2017-0369
Logan CA, Bhashyam AR,Tisosky AJ, et al. Systematic Review of the Effect of Taping Techniques on Patellofemoral Pain
Syndrome.Sports Health. 2017;9(5):456-461. doi:10.1177/1941738117710938
Sisk D, Fredericson M.Taping, Bracing, and Injection Treatment for Patellofemoral Pain and Patellar Tendinopathy.Curr
Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2020;13(4):537-544. doi:10.1007/s12178-020-09646-8