The purpose of this study was to analyse if the morphologic characteristics of the vastus medialis obliquus correlate to patellar malalignment in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome. In 112 patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome six sets of computed tomography axial images were assessed in which knee flexion was 0°, 15°, or 30° and the quadriceps muscle either relaxed or contracted, measurements of serial cross-sectional areas of the vastus medialis obliquus and patellar malalignment were made and correlation and stepwise regression models between the vastus medialis obliquus variables and patellar malalignment were calculated. The results showed that there are significant correlations between vastus medialis obliquus variables and patellar malalignments in extended knees of patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome.
Vastus medialis obliquus muscle function is important to consider in the rehabilitation of patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome, especially those with extreme patellar tilt and lateral shift malalignments.
The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2008, 36, 741-746