• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.448-453
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• 2023

Background: Patellofemoral tendinopathy is a common condition that is associated with anteromedial knee pain due to chronic repetitive tendon overloading. Physical therapy in combination with an eccentric exercise program has been thought to be the gold standard of treatment for patellofemoral tendinopathy. The aim of this study was to examine the literature regarding the effectiveness of treating patellofemoral tendinopathy with eccentric exercise and other interventions. Methods: A literature search of Medline Complete, PubMed, CINAHL Complete, and Journal of Science and Medicine in Sports was conducted using PEDro guidelines. Results: Eight articles met our selection criteria. The 8 articles investigated individuals who all had pain at the inferior pole of the patella or were diagnosed via ultrasound for patellar tendinopathy. The articles investigated the effects of eccentric exercise versus other treatments such as, progressive tendon-loading exercise therapy (PTLE), extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT), percutaneous electrolysis (PNE), dry needling (DN), and concentric hip muscle strengthening. Ultimately, each treatment resulted in decreased pain and patellar stiffness, along with improvement in outcome measures, but it was found that no intervention was more effective than eccentric exercise alone, besides progressive tendon-loading exercise therapy. Conclusions: Moderate to strong mixed evidence exists to show the effect of eccentric exercise in combination with other interventions decreases patellofemoral pain and increased functional mobility in individuals with patellofemoral tendinopathy. Progressive tendon-loading exercise therapy was the one treatment that showed more significant improvements in outcome measures compared to eccentric exercise therapy and requires further research to back this finding.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.539-545
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• 2012

To evaluate of the ultrasonographic changes in hemiplegic and unaffected knee joints of hemiplegic ambulators with recent onset stroke. Twenty patients (40 knees) with prevalence duration of 14-39 weeks (mean 24.70 weeks) after a stroke insult were included. All participants were walking independently without leg dragging, had no previous knee injury. There were significant differences in intercondylar cartilage thickness and pes anserinous tendinopathy (PAT) between hemiplegic and unaffected knees (p<0.05). There were no differences in cartilage thickness of medial condyle and lateral condyle, patellar tendinitis/bursitis, suprapatellar effusion, synovitis, joint space narrowing, and Baker's cyst of ultrasonographic findings and x-ray findings in hemiplegic knee compared to the control except PAT (p<0.05). In hemiplegic knee, medial or lateral condylar cartilage thickness was significantly correlated with body weight, intercondylar cartilage thickness, and PAT (p<0.05). PAT was significantly correlated with Brunnnstrom stage and condylar cartilage thickness (p<0.05). Knee pain was significantly correlated with lateral condylar cartilage thickness (p<0.1). The hemiplegic knee had more ultrasonographic abnormalities including PAT and more cartilage thickness preservation in patient with recent onset stroke. Intraarticular sonographic findings including cartilage thickness was significantly correlated with extraarticular findings including PAT and a symptom of knee pain.