Abstract
The object of this study was to analyze the quadriceps muscle peak strength with the Cybex-II isokinetic dy namometer in patients with patellofemoral arthralgia with and without a patella brace.
Twenty-four patients, 18 women and 6 men, were studied. All had patellofemoral arthralgia. The diagnosis was made on typical clinical findings, but was supple mented with arthroscopy in seven patients with pain also over the medial joint line. After a 2 week adaptation period with the brace, a Cybex-II test was done with and without the brace. The other leg was tested as control. Twenty-one patients (88%) improved their per formance in the strength test with the brace (mean difference 13.7 ± 9.1 %). With the brace, 14 patients (58%) performed at 95% of their control leg or more compared to 6 (25%) without the brace. Patients under the age of 30 years had a better effect than patients over that age.
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