Efficacy of two muscle stretching modalities in treating the patellofemoral syndrome: a comparative study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of muscle stretching exercises on the functional recovery of patients with patellofemoral
syndrome. Twenty female young nonathletes with PFS were divided into two groups: group 1 (G1) performed posterior chain global stretching exercises and group 2 (G2), segment stretching exercises of hamstring and gastrocnemii muscles. The following were assessed, before and after treatment: pain intensity, by the visual analog scale; knee functional level; flexibility, by the fingertip-to-floor test; hamstring shortening; Q angle; and electromyography of the biceps femoris and lateral gastrocnemius muscles. Treatment consisted of two weekly sessions during eight weeks. Data obtained for each group and between groups were statistically analysed, with significance level set at p<0.05. Results show significant improvement in knee functional level, hamstring shortening, Q angle, and flexibility in both groups; but only G1 showed decreased pain intensity; compared to G2, G1 showed greater flexibility gain. These results suggest that muscle stretching exercises, especially global stretching, may be prescribed in PFS treatment for effective pain reduction. Moreover, the treatment allowed for better knee alignment and flexibility gain, which may favour muscle strengthening.