Effect Of Strengthening Exercises Research Articles

Effect of strengthening exercises in individuals with patellofemoral pain syndrome: a randomised controlled trial

Background/Aims Muscle imbalance in patella stabilisers leads to patellar lateral glide and can cause patellofemoral pain syndrome. This study investigated the effect of progressive strengthening exercises of the vastus medialis oblique on pain and patellar alignment in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome and patellar lateral glide. Methods A double-blind, randomised controlled trial was conducted with 40 individuals with patellofemoral pain syndrome with patellar lateral glide aged 20–40 years. The study group received vastus medialis oblique-specific strengthening exercises and routine physiotherapy treatment, and the control group received routine physiotherapy treatment only (stretching exercises, gluteal and quadriceps isometric exercises and conventional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation). Participants performed these exercises three times a week for 8 weeks. Pain intensity was measured before and after the intervention using a visual analogue scale and patellar alignment was measured using ultrasonographic parameters, including the trochlear angle, patella offset angle and distance between patellar tip and trochlear groove. Results In the between-groups comparison, there was a significant decrease in pain intensity in both the study and control groups, although the study group had a greater decrease (study group before intervention: 71.15 ± 1.54, study group after intervention: 22.21 ± 0.35, P=0.001); control group before intervention: 70.09 ± 1.22, control group after intervention: 31.82 ± 0.36 (P=0.001)) and patella offset angle (in the study group compared to the control group after 8 weeks of intervention. In within-groups comparison, a significant decrease of the patella offset angle in the study group was observed (before intervention: 16.2 ± 1.53; after intervention: 13.2 ± 1.87, P=0.001). No significant differences were found for the other parameters. Conclusions Specific strengthening of the vastus medialis oblique muscle in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome and patellar lateral glide can lead to pain reduction and improvement of patellar alignment to correct lateralisation. This change may delay the process of patellofemoral joint degeneration. Including vastus medialis oblique-specific strengthening exercises in standard physiotherapy treatments may help to reduce pain levels in people with patellofemoral pain syndrome. Implications for practice Investigating the main cause of patellofemoral pain syndrome could have an essential role in the rehabilitation treatment of patients.

Effects of the Strengthening Exercise on Back Muscles after Lumbar Discectomy

Study design : A retrospective study about lumbar strengthening exercise after lumbar discectomy. Objectives : To evaluate the effect of lumbar strengthening exercise on muscle power and pain, to analyze the problem of rehabilitation program after lumbar discectomy. Summary of Literature Review : The effectiveness of Lumbar strengthening exercise is still controversy and we can not found the similar article for this kind problem. Materials and methods : Three-hundred twenty eight patients of microscopic lumbar discectomy from 1998 to 1999, were divided into 2 groups; exercise group was 72 cases among 119 patients, and non-exercise group was 58 cases among 208 patients. degree of pain and functional activity were evaluated by visual analog scale and API test, respectively, at postoperative 3 months, 6 months, 1 year. the reason for not exercising was surveyed in non-exercise group. Results : Exercise group 119 patients(36%). The most common cause of Non-Exercise was a deficiency of importance for lumbar strengthening exercise and exercise was done better in civil peoples than inrural peoples. There was a significant good result in exercise group by visual analog scale for pain at 3 months and 6 months postoperatively, but no difference between two groups after 1 year. exercise group had better results in flexion/extension test and fatigue endurance test. Lumbar strengthening exercise was a good method for relieving the pain in short term, but it was not effective in long term follow up. C o n c l u s i o n s : These results suggest that good results after lumbar discectomy in exercise group result from the secondary effects of increasing muscle power rather than relieving pain.