Rehabilitation With Patterned Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation for Patients With Patellofemoral Pain

This is a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) regarding the conservative treatment of
patellofemoral pain (PFP) with an impairment based rehabilitation program. Those with PFP can
have a variety of impairments, such as knee and hip muscle weakness, poor movement patterns,
weak core activation and muscle tightness. Several recent RCT trials have looked at treating
single impairments, but to date no RCT have address individualized patient impairments during
a rehabilitation program. Abnormal muscle firing patterns have also been identified during
functional tasks; such as jogging, stair climbing, and performing a single leg squat.
Conflicting studies have produced changes to the quadriceps and hip muscle firing patterns
with those with PFP. The abnormal activation patterns has been suggested to be why
strengthening programs alone do not improve movement patterns during functional tasks for
those with PFP. Patterned electrical neuromuscular stimulation (PENS) is a novel form of
electrical stimulation that replicates proper firing patterns based off healthy
electromyography patterns. The purpose of the study is to investigate the benefits of PENS
with a impairment based rehabilitation program for the treatment of PFP. The rationale for
this investigation is to assess the benefits of PENS with therapeutic exercise at improving
altered firing patterns of the lower extremity muscles during functional tasks.