ArticleKnee surgery & related research2025
Relationship between muscle activation and sagittal knee joint biomechanics in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome: a cross-sectional study.
Article in Knee surgery & related research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Effects of electrical stimulation combined with strength training on pain, muscle strength and lower-limb biomechanics in patellofemoral pain patients: a randomized controlled trial.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025Trial
- The Immediate Effects of Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization on Pain and Function in Female Runners with Patellofemoral Pain.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2025Trial
- Traumatic Fracture of the Polyethylene Tibial Post in a Posterior-Stabilized Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Case Report.Clinical case reports · 2026Article
- Comparing kinematic and kinetic demands on the knee joint during selected physiotherapy exercises and activities of daily living.Technology and health care : official journal of the European Society for Engineering and Medicine · 2026Article
- Deficits in dynamic stability revealed by the Y-Balance test in middle-aged and elderly adults with patellofemoral pain.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2026Observational
- Effects of foot rotation on ankle control and injury risk during badminton lunge landings.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2025Article
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7 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundPatellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is one of the most common conditions affecting the knee joint, yet its pathomechanics remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in muscle activation and gait patterns and to analyze the relationship between muscle activation and kinetic gait patterns in patients with PFPS.
methodsThis study included 31 patients with PFPS and 28 healthy volunteers without any symptoms. The sagittal plane motion of the knee joint, representing primary movement of the knee joint, was evaluated to identify changes in gait patterns. Electromyography (EMG) was used to measure muscle activation of vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), semitendinosus (ST), and gastrocnemius (GCM) muscles during gait analysis. Biomechanical features were analyzed during the three phases of the gait cycle; weight acceptance (WA), single limb support (SLS), and swing limb advancement (SLA) (0 ~ 12%, 13 ~ 50%, and 51 ~ 100% of the gait cycle, respectively).
resultsThe average knee extension moment (KEM) during WA was lower in the patient group and no significant differences were observed in the knee flexion angle (KFA). With respect to muscle activation, the patient group showed significantly higher muscle activation of the ST muscle in all phases. As the absolute value of the moment increased, the activation of the VM, VL, and ST muscles increased more rapidly in the patient group, especially when KEM was under -1% body weight × height (Bw × Ht) or over 5% Bw × Ht.
conclusionsPatients with PFPS exhibit elevated muscle activation, particularly in response to changes in the knee extension moment, which is likely a compensatory mechanism to manage knee joint loading during gait. These results highlight altered neuromuscular adaptations in PFPS, suggesting targeted therapies may help improve functional outcomes. Level of evidence III, cross-sectional study.
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