Is quadriceps h-reflex excitability a risk factor for patellofemoral pain?

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is one of the most common conditions in orthopedic practice while recent evidence has suggested that it may be a predisposing factor to patellofemoral osteoarthritis. In addition to biomechanical alterations associated with the pathomechanisms underlying PFP, the investigation of neurophysiological alterations has provided novel information in the understanding of the pathophysiology of PFP. For instance, women with PFP present lower amplitude of the vastus medialis (VM) H-reflexes compared to pain-free controls, which suggests that the excitability of spinal reflexes might be a promising tool for discriminating woman with PFP in clinical practice.

Source: Medical Hypotheses - August 24, 2017 Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Marcella Ferraz Pazzinatto, Danilo de Oliveira Silva, Evangelos Pappas, Fernando Henrique Magalh ães, Fábio Mícolis de Azevedo Source Type: research