Are there differences in physical and non-physical features between runners and non-runners with and without patellofemoral pain?

• Grant number: 24/02950-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: September 15, 2025
• End date: March 14, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Ronaldo Valdir Briani
• Grantee: Helder dos Santos Lopes
• Supervisor: David Matthew Bazett-Jones
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (FCT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Presidente Prudente. Presidente Prudente , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: High Point University, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/11083-6 - Factors associated with the development of patellofemoral pain in the general adult population: a 2-year multicenter prospective observational study, BP.DR

Abstract

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is one of the most common running-related knee injuries, while also affects one-quarter of the general population that are not runners. Individuals with PFP present with reduced hip and knee muscle torque, pressure pain threshold, physical activity level, increased fear of movement, and pain catastrophizing. They also present with altered body composition (e.g., increased body fat), as well as hip and knee kinematics (e.g., increased hip adduction and knee abduction). However, these alterations may not be present in all individuals with PFP. Some of them may be dependent on the level or type of physical activity practiced. For example, greater body fat might be present in those with PFP who do not practice a reasonable amount of physical activity, which is likely not the case for runners with PFP. To date, it is not known whether runners and non-runners with PFP present with the same or different physical and non-physical alterations. If there are differences between these two subgroups of PFP, they may not respond to the same type of management, which needs to be tailored to their specificity. Therefore, the present study aims to compare physical and non-physical features of runners and non-runners with PFP, and pain-free runners and non-runners. Males and females aged 18 to 35 years old, with and without PFP will be recruited at Toledo-OH. Data collection will be divided into two sessions. In the first session, anthropometrics, self-reported measures, pressure pain threshold, and hip and knee strength data will be collected. During a 7-interval day, physical activity levels will be collected through digital accelerometers. In the second session, body composition, knee bone mineral densitometry, hip and knee kinematics will be assessed. Independent Student's T-test will be performed to compare running volume between both groups of runners with and without PFP. Generalized linear models (GzLM) will be performed to compare the pain-related data, running-related data, anthropometrics between all groups; and to investigate group-by-running interactions on physical and non-physical features between all groups, adjusting for sex.