RELATIONSHIP OF THE HIP AND TRUNK MUSCLES WITH THE DYNAMIC KNEE VALGUS IN ASYMPTOMATIC YOUNG WOMEN

Abstract

The presence of severe dynamic knee valgus in asymptomatic women may be a factor related to future complaints of pain in this joint. The aim of this study is to correlate the strength levels of hip and trunk stabilizer muscles with knee valgus angles, pelvic and trunk tilt in asymptomatic young women. 22 young women with no history of lower limb pain or injury participated in this study. In the first visit to the laboratory, the volunteers performed anamnesis, kinematic evaluation of the dynamic knee valgus angle, pelvic and trunk tilt. Afterwards, familiarization with muscle strength tests was made. On the second day, the evaluation of the maximal isometric muscle strength of the hip stabilizer muscles (lateral rotators, hip abductors and extensors) and trunk extensors was performed. For analysis of muscle strength data, the joint torque peak was used and, in relation to the kinematic data, the knee projection angles in the frontal plane, pelvis and trunk tilt, through the Kinovea software. Pearson's Correlation test showed no relationship between the hip and trunk muscle torque and the kinematic angles during the frontal and lateral step down. The muscle torque of the hip stabilizers and trunk extensors are not related to the movement pattern of the volunteers during the step down.