EFFECT OF SPECIFIC TRAINING PROGRAM ON INTENSITY OF PAIN AND KNEE JOINT FUNCTION IN RECREATIONAL CYCLISTS WITH ANTERIOR KNEE PAIN

Manali Shah, Megha Sheth
Purpose:

The aim of the study was to form an appropriate and valid physiotherapy intervention for PFPS in cyclists which would address strength and flexibility deficits and to find its effect on pain and function of knee joint in recreational cyclists with mild anterior knee pain.

Methods:

An experimental study was performed on 43 recreational cyclists, aged 18 to 50 years, cycling at least 100 km/month since minimum of 6 months. They should be having PFPS with mild pain during and/or after cycling, since at least 3 months. They were recruited from various cycling clubs and the community of Ahmedabad city. Included participants were randomly allocated into experimental (n=22, training plus ergonomics) and control groups (n=21, ergonomics only). Specific training program included 10 exercises focusing on core, pelvic and lower extremity muscle strengthening like quadriceps setting, straight leg raise, short arc knee extension, high sitting knee extension, partial wall squats, hamstring curls, hip abduction, clamshell, lunges and planks in prone, supine and both sides. The treatment was given 3 days per week for 8 weeks. For measuring intensity of pain Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and for function Kujala scale were used pre and post 8 weeks. Data was analyzed using SPSS 20. Level of significance was kept at 5%.


Results:

The VAS showed statistically significant improvement for group A (1.9 ± 0.3 cm, p 0.001) participants from 3.0 ± 0.3 to 1.1 ± 0.4 cm and for group B (1.3 ± 0.4 cm, p0.001) participants from 2.9 ± 0.3 to 1.6 ± 0.6 cm.  The Kujala score also showed statistically significant improvement for group A (17.9 ± 3.9, p 0.001) participants from 72.3 ± 6.9 to 90.3 ± 4.4 and for group B (12.7 ± 1.8, p0.001) participants from 70.6 ± 7.6 to 83.6 ± 8.2. In between group analysis showed greater improvements in the experimental group.

Conclusion(s):

Ergonomic changes during cycling decrease pain and improve function. Supplementation of specific training program provided benefits concerning the perceived pain during cycling and functional activities in cyclists with mild anterior knee pain after 8 weeks of treatment. 


Implications:

This exercise protocol can be used by recreational cyclists and health care providers searching for appropriate treatment to improve pain and function for anterior knee pain.

Funding acknowledgements:
No funding received for this study.
Keywords:
Recreational cyclist
Anterior Knee Pain
Patellofemoral pain syndrome
Primary topic:
Musculoskeletal: lower limb
Second topic:
Sport and sports injuries
Third topic:
Pain and pain management
Did this work require ethics approval?:
Yes
Name the institution and ethics committee that approved your work:
The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee (Reg.no. ERC/274/Inst/GJ/2013/RR-19) of Dr.Jivraj Mehta hospital, Ahmedabad.
Provide the ethics approval number:
ERC/274/Inst/GJ/2013/RR-19
Has any of this material been/due to be published or presented at another national or international conference prior to the World Physiotherapy Congress 2025?:
No

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