Effects of Hip Abductor Muscles Exercises on Pain and Function in Patients With Patellofemoral Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Rogan, S, Haehni, M, Luijckx, E, Dealer, J, Reuteler, S, and Taeymans, J. Effects of hip abductor muscles exercises on pain and function in patients with patellofemoral pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Strength Cond Res 33(11): 3174–3187, 2019—This systematic review and meta-analysis considered the effects of hip strengthening (i.e., abductor and external rotator muscles) vs. no hip strengthening on pain and of hip strengthening combined with knee strengthening vs. knee strengthening (i.e., quadriceps muscles) alone on pain and functional status in patients with patellofemoral pain (PFP). Eleven, randomized, controlled trial (RCT) studies and 1 non-RCT study were included, totaling 604 participants. Female athletes were included in one study, whereas untrained participants were included in the other studies. On average, the studies showed a low methodological quality. Hip muscle strengthening showed greater pain-reducing effects when compared with no hip strengthening (standardized mean difference [SMD] = −1.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], −2.92 to −0.9; p = 0.0002). When comparing a combined hip and knee muscle strengthening with knee muscle strengthening alone, pain was reduced in the combined hip and knee–strengthening group (SMD −0.99; 95% CI, −1.99 to 0.02; p = 0.05), whereas function showed a SMD of 0.70 (95% CI, 0.25–1.14; p = 0.002) again favoring the combined hip and knee–strengthening group. This meta-analysis showed evidence that...

Source: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research - October 23, 2019 Category: Sports Medicine Tags: Original Research Source Type: research