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Visuomotor reaction time difference between patellofemoral pain syndrome and healthy individuals: Cross-sectional
Salman Nazary-Moghadam1, Esmaeel Imani1, Sayyed Hadi Sayyed Hosseinian2
1Department of Physiotherapy, School of Paramedical Sciences, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Vakilabad Blvd, Bahonar Blvd, Pardis Campus, Mashhad, Iran.
Objective:
Although many studies indicated a decreased reaction time in post-traumatic complaints including ACL injury, no study has been devoted to measure reaction time in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). The purpose of the present study was to compare the visuomotor reaction time between PFPS and healthy individuals.
Methods:
Twenty five patients with PFPS (20 women and 5 men, mean age 29.28 years, SD 5.59) and 25 healthy controls (19 women, 6 men, mean age 29.32, years SD 5.30) were recruited in the present study. The dependent variables were upper extremity reaction time, upper extremity error rate, knee extension reaction time in both involved and non-involved legs, plantar flexion reaction time in both involved and non-involved legs.
Results:
The results of one-way multiple analysis of variance showed that patients with PFPS had slower upper extremity reaction time (P=0.047, Effect size (ES)=0.39) and plantar flexion reaction time (symptomatic side) (P<0.001, ES=0.77) as compared with healthy control. The symptomatic knee extension reaction time was slower than the healthy matched leg, but this difference was not statistically significant (P=0.296, ES= 0.19).
Conclusion:
The present study suggests that the reaction time might be considered as a factor associated with PFPS.
