Study Title: Corticospinal and Intracortical Excitability of the Gluteus Maximus in Patellofemoral Pain: Comparison with Healthy Controls and Association with Neuromuscular Function and Lower Extremity Biomechanics
Purpose: To compare how the brain communicates with the hip muscle (gluteus maximus) between individuals with and without kneecap pain. We will also look at how brain communication is related to hip muscle strength, how quickly the muscle can produce force, and how you move during step-down, single-leg squats, single-leg drop-landing, walking, and jogging.
Participant Restrictions:
1. Participants with kneecap pain: you must (1) be aged between 18 and 35 years old; (2) have an insidious onset of anterior knee pain greater than 3 months; and (3) report worst pain of 3 out of 10 on the visual analog scale in the previous month with at least two of the following tasks: prolonged sitting, jumping, squatting, kneeling, running, and stair ambulation.
2. Participants without kneecap pain: you must (1) be aged between 18 and 35 years old; (2) have no history of lower extremity surgery; and (3) have no history of lower extremity injury or pain in the past year.
3. Exclusion criteria for both groups include (1) a history of lower extremity surgery; (2) a history of lower extremity injury in the past year; (3) a history of patellar subluxation or dislocation (move out of place and stay out); (4) internal derangement (e.g., meniscus injury); (5) ligamentous instability; or (6) other forms of anterior knee pain (i.e., besides the kneecap pain); (7) neurological or cognitive impairment; (8) history of epilepsy, convulsion, or seizure; (9) use of heart pacemaker or intracardiac lines; (10) history of concussion or head trauma; (11) use of implants in the ear, use of implanted neurostimulator; (12) history of stroke or brain lesion; (13) history of metal removal from eyes; (14) use of metal in the brain, skull, or neck; (15) pregnant or possibility of being pregnant; (16) alcohol consumption within the past 3 days; or (17) use of substances.
Measurements: You will conduct tests of how your brain communicates with your hip muscle using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), how strong your hip muscle is, how quickly it can produce force, and measure how you move during a step-down, a single-leg squat, a single-leg drop-landing (5 times each limb), walking (2 min), and jogging (4 min), with placing reflective markers on your body in a single visit.
Where? 1) Room 104, Gampel Pavilion, 2098 Hillside Rd, Storrs, CT 06269. 2) Brain Imaging Research Core (BIRC), 2 Alethia Dr, Storrs, CT 06269
This study was approved by the UConn IRB, Protocol #H26-0052.
Payment Amount: Participants with kneecap pain will receive a $70 ClinCard (University-supported reloadable debit card), while participants without kneecap pain will receive a $60 ClinCard upon completion of the study.
For more information, please contact:
Student Researcher: Takhyun Yoo, MA, LAT, ATC; takhyun.yoo@uconn.edu; Phone #: 402-249-1047
Principal Investigator: Neal Glaviano, PhD, ATC; neal.glaviano@uconn.edu
For more information, contact: Takhyun Yoo at takhyun.yoo@uconn.edu