Article

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the frequency of bracing, geographic region,
clinical specialty, or percentage of practice devoted to knee pain influences the
criteria used by sports medicine professionals to determine whether a brace
should be prescribed for treating patients with nontraumatic patellofemoral pain syndrome. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Sports medicine practices in
the United States. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1307 athletic trainers, physical
therapists, and sports medicine physicians recruited from the e-mail listings of
the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, the American Osteopathic
Academy of Sports Medicine, the American Physical Therapy Association Sports
Physical Therapy Section, the International Patellofemoral Study Group, the
International Patellofemoral Retreat list, and National Collegiate Athletic
Association Division 1 athletic team registries. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable.
MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Thirty-seven potential patellofemoral bracing criteria
encompassing history and function, alignment, physical examination, previous
treatments, and radiographic evidence. RESULTS: A total of 1307 of 7999 providers
replied (response rate, 16.3%). Mean bracing frequencies were 19.8% for athletic
trainers, 13.4% for physical therapists, and 25.1% for physicians. The mean
number of total bracing criteria used was 10.5. The 10 most commonly cited
criteria for prescribing a patellofemoral brace in descending order of frequency
were: (1) hypermobile patella on physical examination; (2) positive J sign on
physical examination; (3) failure of previous rehabilitation; (4) pain when
performing squats or going up/down stairs on history; (5) success with previous
taping; (6) pain with running activities on history; (7) pain with jumping
activities on history; (8) increased dynamic Q angle; (9) vastus medialis oblique
deficiency in timing or strength; and (10) positive apprehension sign on physical
examination. No statistically significant trends were noted with regard to
experience or percentage of practice devoted to knee pain. Increased bracing
frequency was significantly associated with an increased number of bracing
criteria (r = 0.89, P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: This study identified little overall
consensus and showed that significant differences exist in the criteria used to
prescribe a brace for patellofemoral pain syndrome among specialties and in
relation to bracing frequency.
CI - Copyright (c) 2014 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS