Article

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of proprioceptive neuromuscular
facilitation combined with exercise, classic stretching physiotherapy
intervention, and educational intervention at improving patient function and pain
in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome. Design: Randomized, controlled,
blind trial over four months. Setting: Urban population, Spain. Participants: Patients undergoing primary care for retropatellar pain. Intervention: Subjects
were allocated on three different treatment options: a proprioceptive
neuromuscular facilitation and aerobic exercise group, a classic stretching
group, and a control treatment were applied over four months under the
supervision of a physiotherapist. Main outcome: Knee Society Score, pain reported
(Visual analogue scale) and knee range of motion. Assessments were completed at
baseline and after four months. Results: 74 patients were enrolled in the study
and distributed between groups. Both the proprioceptive neuromuscular
facilitation and classic stretching group showed significant changes in all
variables after four months intervention (p < 0.001). The difference in mean
Kujala knee score changes between groups (classic stretching group vs.
proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation group vs. control group) at four months
was -24.05 (95% confidence interval (CI) -30.19, -17.90), p </= 0.001; vs. -39.03
(95% confidence interval (CI) -42.5, -35.5), p </= 0.001; vs. -0.238 (95%
confidence interval (CI) -1.2, 0.726), p = 0.621, respectively. Conclusions: A
proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation intervention protocol combined with
aerobic exercise showed a better outcome than a classic stretching protocol after four months.

Langue : ANGLAIS