Closed Kinetic Chain exercises with or without additional hip strengthening exercises in management of Patellofemoral pain syndrome: a randomized controlled trial

32 patients, between the ages of 18 and 30 years, who were clinically diagnosed with unilateral patellofemoral pain syndrome through the identification of anterior or retro-patellar knee pain during activity were included in this study. Patients were randomly assigned into 1 of 2 groups to compare a Closed Kinetic Chain (CKC) exercise program with additional hip strengthening to a CKC program without additional hip strengthening to investigate their effects on pain and hip abductor/lateral rotator peak torque. Results of the study indicated that 6 week CKC programs without additional hip strengthening exercises have similar effects in improving hip muscle torque in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) as CKC exercises with additional hip strengthening exercises. However, it was found that adding isolated hip strengthening exercises to the CKC program lead to significantly greater pain relief and function.