title: Influence of exercises on patellar height in women with patellofemoral pain syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the patellar height of volunteers with and without patellofemoral pain syndrome (PPS) during maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) in open kinetic chain (OKC) and closed kinetic chain (CKC) exercises.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty healthy women, and nineteen women with patellofemoral pain syndrome were evaluated and subjected to nuclear magnetic resonance imaging during rest and MVIC in OKC and CKC at 15°, 30°, and 45° knee flexion. The patellar height was assessed by the K-Pacs program,using the Insall-Salvati index. For each exercise and knee position, patellar height was measured three times and the procedure was repeated after seven days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  These data did not confirm our hypothesis that OKC exercises promote increased patellar height.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patellar height is not associated with PPS and suggests that CKC exercises lead an increased patellar height during knee position at 15º and 45º flexion for the PPS group. Level of Evidence II, Comparative Prospective.
authors.affiliation: Centro Universitário Augusto Motta, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, Centro Universitário Augusto Motta, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lilian Ramiro
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Felicio
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Claudia Spechoto
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Augusto do Prado
authors.initials: Ado P
authors.lastname: Baffa
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Débora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bevilaqua-Grossi
keywords: Isometric contraction; Patella; Patellofemoral pain syndrome