Objective this study is to analyze the effects of an intervention protocol with neuromuscular electrical stimulation in the vastus medialis obliquus and gluteus medius (GM) associated with exercises on electromyographic activity, muscle performance, self-reported functionality and pain of women with patellofemoral pain.
This is a randomized, blinded trial in which 40 women, aged 18-30 years, will be randomized into 2 groups: Stimulation and Exercise Group (SEG) - will perform an exercise protocol associated with stimulation in the vastus medialis (VM) and gluteus medius (GM) muscles. Exercises Group (ExG) - will perform the same protocol of exercises of the previous group, however, without association with neuromuscular electrical stimulation. The intervention will occur twice a week for eight weeks. All volunteers will be submitted to the evaluation of the electromyographic activity of the VM, the GM and the vastus lateralis, the dynamometric parameters, the intensity of the pain and the functionality, in four moments: 72h hours before the beginning of the intervention; after 4 weeks of intervention; after 8 weeks of intervention; after 16 weeks from the start of the intervention (eight weeks after the end of the protocol). In this way, the investigators will investigate the applicability of the proposed trial with the use of neuromuscular electrical stimulation and identify the effects of this resource in the treatment of PFP.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
40
Exercise protocol associated with neuromuscular electrical stimulation on vastus medialis and gluteus medius. Parameters: rectangular pulse shape, biphasic, symmetrical, pulse duration of 200μs, interbust interval of 10ms and frequency of 2.500Hz modulated in 50 bursts.
Same protocol of exercises of the other group, without association of electrical stimulation.
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
RECRUITINGFederal University of Rio Grande do Norte
Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
RECRUITINGKnee pain
Evaluation of pain level in the knee using the Numerical Pain Scale, graded from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates absence of pain and 10 indicates the worst pain imaginable.
Time frame: Change from baseline in knee pain at 8 weeks.
Knee function
Evaluation of knee function using the Anterior Knee Pain Scale, that is a questionnaire encompassing 13 items related to different levels of knee function, with scores ranging from zero (representing the highest possible deficit) to 100 (meaning that the subject does not present any deficit).
Time frame: Change from baseline in knee function at 8 weeks.
Root Mean Square (RMS)
Evaluation of the amplitude oh the electromyographic sinal (RMS) of vastus medialis, vastus lateralis and gluteus medius.
Time frame: Change from baseline in RMS at 8 weeks.
Time of muscle activation (Onset)
Evaluation of time of muscle activation electromyographic (onset) of vastus medialis, vastus lateralis and gluteus medius.
Time frame: Change from baseline in onset of the electromyographic at 8 weeks.
Isokinetic performance
Evaluation of isokinetic variable peak torque normalized for body weight (%) of knee extensors and hip abductors.
Time frame: Change from baseline in peak torque normalized for body weight at 8 weeks.
Isokinetic performance
Evaluation of isokinetic variable average peak torque (Nm) of knee extensors and hip abductors.
Time frame: Change from baseline in average peak torque at 8 weeks.
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Isokinetic performance
Evaluation of isokinetic variable average power (W) of knee extensors and hip abductors.
Time frame: Change from baseline in average power at 8 weeks.
Isokinetic performance
Evaluation of isokinetic variable total work (J) of knee extensors and hip abductors.
Time frame: Change from baseline in total work at 8 weeks.