Influence of pain on electromyographic parameters in subjects with patellofemoral pain syndrome during stair climbing: frequency and time domain

Abstract

The PFPS often affects athletes and sedentary females population causing anterior diffuse or retropatellar pain exacerbated during functional activities such as stair climbing and descent, sitting for a long time, squatting or kneeling, among others. Despite the high incidence and commitment that generates PFPS, the same etiologic factors have not yet clearly defined. It is believed that neuromotor control dysfunctions of the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis may occur and generate different amplitudes in the same instant or delayed in their activation contributes to the occurrence of the disease. In addition, studies show that due to the pain mechanism, motor control can be changed. However, this condition has distinct characteristics between patients with syndrome, which required the development of a protocol that would exacerbate this symptom in a standardized way. Thus it will be possible to develop research in order to assess whether the presence of pain influences the pattern of muscle activation. In this context, this project aims to analyze electromyographic parameters PFPS subjects following a exacerbation of symptoms protocol and compare them with healthy subjects. Furthermore, we intend to correlate electromyographic parameters with pain levels of those subjects. (AU)