Hip muscle function has been the focus of significant research related to patellofemoral pain.

It is well established that people with patellofemoral pain have hip muscle weakness, and strong evidence supports exercise therapy at hip. However, hip muscles deficits can be complex and are identified using instruments which are not always accessible to clinicians. Additionally, the majority of previous research related to exercise has not designed prescription based on resistance training principles.

Step 1: Identify if clinically applicable hip muscles function assessments,  are able to identify deficits in people with patellofemoral pain, and which deficits are greatest (strength, endurance, power, etc.).

Step 2: Investigate if hip muscle motor patterns in people with patellofemoral pain are different compared to healthy people during exercises commonly used in clinical practice.

Step 3: Evaluate if an hip muscle exercise program following resistance training principles improves pain possible muscle function deficits in people with patellofemoral pain.

This project is expected to finish by the end of 2017 and we expected to provide further information to clinicians regarding hip muscles function in people with patellofemoral pain, methods to assess hip muscle function clinically, and new insights into how to optimise exercise outcomes.

Staff: Dr Christian Barton, Dr Tania Pizzari, Prof Kay Crossley

Students: Guilherme Silva Nunes, Danilo Oliveira Silva, Brooke Patterson