Association of ankle and foot posture and plantar pressure in patellofemoral syndrome

• Grant number: 06/02805-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2006
• End date: November 30, 2007
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physical Education
• Principal Investigator: Isabel de Camargo Neves Sacco
• Grantee: Mariana de Souza Xavier Costa
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The patellofemoral pain syndrome is a frequent lower extremity disorder that affects 25-36% of the population in general, mainly physically active young adults and teenagers. Due to multifactorial characteristics, many are the studied factors that link to the patellofemoral pain syndrome. Among these factors, the postural alignment of the inferior limb frequently is mentioned in the clinic and in this research stands out the ankle and foot alignment, in special the extreme pronation of subtalar joint. However, the experimental studies that corroborate the relationship between the extreme pronation of subtalar joint and the incidence of the patellofemoral pain syndrome are few and controversial. The aim of this research is verify and compare the rearfoot angle and the distribution of the pressure plantar during stairs descending between voluntaries with patellofemoral pain syndrome and clinically healthy with similar age, weight and anthropometric characteristics. Sixty voluntaries will be evaluated and divided in control group (n=30) and experimental group (n=30). The experimental protocol will be composed of 4 stages: (1) Initial Evaluation: evaluation by mean of interview and functional evaluation of the knee by mean of Lysholm Scale; (2) Clinical Evaluation of the inferior limb: determination of Q angle and rearfoot angle; (3) Biomechanic evaluation of the stairs descending: bilateral evaluation of the distribution of the pressure plantar in the support phase; (4) Visual Analogue Scale (VAS): investigation of previous pain and during the execution of the skill proposal in the protocol. In this study, it is expected to observe an increased rearfoot angle and an increased peak pressure in the medial compartment of the plantar surfase of the individuals with patellofemoral pain syndrome, factors associated with abnormal eversion of subtalar joint.