Trial reportBMC musculoskeletal disorders2026
Effects of foot core training combined with hip and knee strengthening on patients with patellofemoral pain: a randomized controlled trial.
Trial report in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Abstract
backgroundPatellofemoral pain (PFP) is a common musculoskeletal condition associated with strength deficits and altered lower-limb kinematics. Impaired "foot-core" function and foot-ankle mechanics may contribute to altered patellofemoral joint loading, but the added value of combining foot-core training with conventional hip-knee strengthening remains unclear.
objectiveTo examine the effects of adding foot-core training to a hip-knee strengthening program on pain, function, strength, and three-dimensional step-down kinematics in individuals with PFP.
methodsIn this assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial, 40 participants with PFP were randomly allocated to an experimental group (EG; foot-core plus hip-knee strengthening; age 23.89 ± 1.58 years) or a control group (CG; hip-knee strengthening; age 22.94 ± 2.11 years) for 6 weeks. The primary outcome was the worst pain during daily activities measured with a visual analog scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes were function (Anterior Knee Pain Scale, AKPS), concentric isokinetic relative peak torque at 60°/s during hip extension/abduction and knee extension/flexion of the affected limb, and three-dimensional hip, knee, and ankle joint angles at initial contact (contralateral toe contact) during a single-leg step-down task. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and immediately post-intervention.
resultsEG demonstrated a greater reduction in post-intervention VAS than the CG (P = 0.022; ηp² = 0.135). AKPS was also higher in the EG than in the CG at post-intervention (P = 0.001; ηp² = 0.257). For step-down kinematics, the EG showed lower hip adduction (P = 0.001; ηp² = 0.676) and knee valgus (P = 0.001; ηp² = 0.525) than the CG, as well as greater ankle dorsiflexion (P = 0.002; ηp² = 0.805). In isokinetic strength outcomes, the EG exceeded the CG in quadriceps and hip abductor relative peak torque (both P < 0.001; ηp² = 0.669 and 0.594), whereas hamstrings and hip extensors showed no between-group differences (P ≥ 0.398).
conclusionAdding foot-core training to a hip-knee strengthening program resulted in small additional improvements in pain and function and produced larger between-group effects in selected kinematic variables and strength outcomes. The clinical significance of these biomechanical changes requires further investigation.
trial registrationchictr.org.cn . NO: ChiCTR2400087664. Date 01/08/2024.
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