Muscle functional MRI to evaluate quadriceps dysfunction in patellofemoral pain.
Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is a common knee disorder in which the exact etiology remains unclear. Some evidence suggests that neuromuscular timing dysfunction could results in abnormal patellar tracking which can cause pain. However those measurements are normally performed with EMG. Muscle functional magnetic resonance imaging (mfMRI) is a new tool for assessing muscle activation following exercise.
The aim of this study is to examine whether the neuromuscular timing of the quadriceps muscles with mfMRI in patients with PFP (n=46) differs from a control group (n=30). All the participants underwent MRI of the quadriceps before and immediately after a squatting (until 90 degrees of knee flexion) exercise.
The main finding of these measurements is an absence of difference in activation pattern of the quadriceps muscle between the patients and healthy control. This finding is present in both males and females > From Pattyn et al., Med Sci Sports Exerc 45 (2013) 1023-1209. All rights reserved to the American College of Sports Medicine.
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