The impact of anterior knee pain on the quality of life among runners in poor resourced peri-urban communities

Abstract

Anterior knee pain (AKP) is the most common injury among runners and has a negative impact on the quality of life (QOL) of many athletes. The objective was to determine the impact of anterior knee pain on the QOL among runners in poor resourced peri-urban communities in Ekurhuleni, South Africa. A cross-sectional study design was used. A population of 73 runners with AKP was all included to participated in this study. Participants included runners aged 13 to 55 year-old with no history of degenerative and traumatic knee injuries. The standardised SF-36 questionnaire was used to collect data. Ethical clearance, permission from club managers and consent from participants were obtained. Data were collected over six weeks and analysed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics included the calculation of frequencies, means, standard deviations and ranges. Inferential statistics included Spearman's rank correlation coefficient calculation. The lowest QOL scores were found among the following SF-36 scales: role functioning/physical (62), role functioning/emotional (59), energy/fatigue (59), emotional well-being (68) and pain scales (63). Males, youth and runners with least experience in running presented with the lowest scores. Significant correlation was found between the following variables: role functioning/physical and experience ( P = 0.030, r = −0.221), role functioning/emotional and gender ( P = 0.017, r = −0.247) and race ( P = 0.012, r = −0.265), general health and experience ( P = 0.021; r = −.239), energy/fatigue and race ( P = 0.012; r = 0.264), emotional well-being and age ( P = 0.020; r = 0.241), general health and gender ( P = 0.013; r = 0.456), social functioning and age ( P = 0.010; r = 0.271) and energy/fatigue and experience ( P = 0.001; r = −0.371). Multidimensional rehabilitation programme is recommended to improve the QOL among runners with AKP. This study will provide valuable knowledge that will assist clinicians in their development of rehabilitation programmes for AKP.