OBJECTIVES:

Analyze the effects of 3 gait retraining: forefoot landing (FFOOT), 10% step rate increase (SR10%) and forward trunk lean (FTL) on lower limb biomechanics and clinical measurements in patellofemoral pain (PFP) runners.

DESIGN:

Case series report.

SETTINGS:

Biomechanical laboratory and treadmill running.

PARTICIPANTS:

Eighteen recreational PFP runners randomized in 3 groups.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Lower limb kinematics and muscle activation were assessed at baseline and 2-week post-training. Pain intensity and function limitation, measured by AKPS (Anterior Knee Pain Scale) and LEFS (Lower Extremity Functional Scale) assessed at baseline, post-training and 6-month follow-up. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare the effects of gait retraining.

RESULTS:

FFOOT and FTL increased the AKPS score at post-training(P?=?.001; P?=?.008) and 6-month follow-up(P?

CONCLUSION:

The three techniques presented clinical benefits, improvement of pain symptoms and functional scores, was not accompanied with significant biomechanics differences that could entirely explain this clinical improvement after the intervention.

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