The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy
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Single-session observational study. ⋯ Rearfoot angles in weight bearing are not bilaterally symmetric, and the magnitude and direction of the observed asymmetry does not appear to be indicative of whether an individual is asymptomatic or symptomatic for anterior knee pain.
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J Orthop Sports Phys Ther · Jan 2003
ReviewSystematic review of the quality of randomized controlled trials for patellofemoral pain syndrome.
Systematic review of the literature. ⋯ Based on the results of trials exhibiting a sufficient level of quality, treatments that were effective in decreasing pain and improving function in patients with PFPS were acupuncture, quadriceps strengthening, the use of a resistive brace, and the combination of exercises with patellar taping and biofeedback. The use of soft foot orthotics in patients with excessive foot pronation appeared useful in decreasing pain. In addition, at a short-term follow-up, patients who received exercise programs were discharged earlier from physical therapy. Unfortunately, most RCTs reviewed contained qualitative flaws that bring the validity of the results into question, thus diminishing the ability to generalize the results to clinical practice. These flaws were primarily in the areas of randomization procedures, duration of follow-up, control of cointerventions, assurance of blinding, accountability and proper analysis of dropouts, number of subjects, and the relevance of outcomes. Also, given the limited number of high-quality clinical trials, recommendations about supporting or refuting specific treatment approaches may be premature and can only be made with caution.