The Effect and Durability of Hip and Core Exercises on Pain and Performance in Females With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Purpose: Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) is among the most frequent knee problems in active individuals. PFPS is a multifactorial syndrome with various treatments. This study compared the effects of two training methods of central stability and hip on pain and performance among women with PFPS. Methods: In the present quasi-experimental study, 27 women with PPS aged between 20 and 30 years were selected as the statistical sample. The study subjects were randomly divided into three groups; core stability training, hip training, and controls. Two experimental groups performed the selected training in 8 weeks and three sessions per week. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) were used to measure pain and function in the study participants, respectively. The obtained data were analyzed using repeated-measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) at a significance level of P≤0.05. Results: The MANCOVA results suggested a significant improvement in the measured variables in the experimental groups, compared to the controls (P<0.05); However, there was no significant difference concerning the effect and durability between the two experimental groups on the severity of pain (P<0.05); however, function significantly improved in the core stability training group (P<0.05). Conclusion: The obtained data indicated the beneficial effects of both core and hip training on pain intensity and function in the explored female patients with PFPS. This effect could be due to the increased control and coordination of the knee’s proximal joints. The comparison between the groups of the core and hip training highlighted that core training had a greater impact on the function than the hip.