ArticlePloS one2026
Effects of hip stability training versus standard care on Q-angle and pain in marathon runners with patellofemoral pain syndrome: A retrospective cohort study.
Article in PloS one, 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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3 authors.
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Abstract
objectiveHip stability training may influence the quadriceps angle (Q-angle) and pain, but the clinical relevance of static Q-angle changes remains uncertain. This study compared hip stability training with standard care for Q-angle, pain, and function in marathon runners with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS).
methodsWe identified 487 marathon runners with PFPS, of whom 312 met the eligibility criteria. After 1:1 propensity score matching, 94 runners were retained in each group: hip stability training (Hip-STAB) and standard care (Control). Outcomes were assessed at baseline (W0) and at 4, 8, and 16 weeks (W4, W8, W16). Primary outcomes were standing Q-angle, visual analog scale pain during running (VAS-Run; 0-100 mm), and Anterior Knee Pain Scale (AKPS; 0-100 points).
resultsBoth groups improved over 16 weeks. Linear mixed-effects models showed significant time effects for Q-angle, VAS-Run, and AKPS (all p < 0.001), but no significant time-by-group interactions for Q-angle (p = 0.190), VAS-Run (p = 0.302), or AKPS (p = 0.317). Bonferroni-adjusted post-hoc comparisons did not identify significant between-group differences at W16. The association between Q-angle reduction and VAS-Run improvement was significant in the Hip-STAB group (r = 0.35, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.52, p < 0.001) and the Control group (r = 0.44, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.59, p < 0.001).
conclusionsHip-STAB and standard care were each associated with improvements in static Q-angle, running pain, and function, but Hip-STAB was not superior to standard care. The correlation between Q-angle and pain changes should be interpreted as an association rather than evidence of a causal biomechanical mechanism.
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