Effect of pain on hip and knee kinematics during a prolonged run in female runners with patellofemoral pain syndrome

The purpose of this study was to investigate hip and knee mechanics during a prolonged run in individuals with patellofemoral pain syndrome. Kinematic data was collected from 8 female recreational runners currently suffering from the condition and 7 controls during a prolonged treadmill run. Runners with patellofemoral pain syndrome did not appear to display altered running mechanics in the presence of significant pain or exertion, but did display differences in mechanics compared with controls, with two distinct subgroups identified. This finding might suggest two distinct mechanisms of injury for patellofemoral pain syndrome. This knowledge is important for establishing clear links between running mechanics and injury mechanisms and can be used to inform injury prevention and rehabilitation techniques.