PAIN, FUNCTION, AND STRENGTH OUTCOMES FOR MALES AND FEMALES WITH PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN WHO PARTICIPATE IN EITHER A HIP/CORE- OR KNEE-BASED REHABILITATION PROGRAM

Hip exercise has been recommended for females with patellofemoral pain (PFP). It is unknown if males with PFP will benefit from a similar treatment strategy. The purpose of this study was to compare improvements in pain, function, and strength between males and females with PFP who participated in either a hip/core or knee rehabilitation program. The directional hypothesis was that females would respond more favorably to the hip/core rehabilitation program and males to the knee program. Randomized-controlled clinical trial. Patients were randomly assigned to a six-week hip/core or knee rehabilitation program. Visual analog scale (VAS), Anterior Knee Pain Scale (AKPS), and hip and knee isometric strength were collected before and after subjects completed the rehabilitation program. Data were analyzed using an intention-to-treat basis. Separate mixed-model analyses of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures were used to determine changes in VAS and AKPS and strength changes for subjects classified as treatment responders (successful outcome) and non-responders (unsuccessful outcome). Regardless of sex or rehabilitation group, VAS ( =206.5;