Reliability of the Superimposed-Burst Technique in Patients With Patellofemoral Pain: A Technical Report Article (Web of Science)

abstract

  • Context  The superimposed-burst (SIB) technique is commonly used to quantify central activation failure after knee-joint injury, but its reliability has not been established in pathologic cohorts. Objective  To assess within-session and between-sessions reliability of the SIB technique in patients with patellofemoral pain. Design  Descriptive laboratory study. Setting  University laboratory. Patients or Other Participants  A total of 10 patients with self-reported patellofemoral pain (1 man, 9 women; age = 24.1 ± 3.8 years, height = 167.8 ± 15.2 cm, mass = 71.6 ± 17.5 kg) and 10 healthy control participants (3 men, 7 women; age = 27.4 ± 5.0 years, height = 173.5 ± 9.9 cm, mass = 78.2 ± 16.5 kg) volunteered. Intervention(s)  Participants were assessed at 6 intervals spanning 21 days. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs [3,3]) were used to assess reliability. Main Outcome Measure(s)  Quadriceps central activation ratio, knee-extension maximal voluntary isometric contraction force, and SIB force. Results  The quadriceps central activation ratio was highly reliable within session (ICC [3,3] = 0.97) and between sessions through day 21 (ICC [3,3] = 0.90–0.95). Acceptable reliability of knee extension (ICC [3,3] = 0.75–0.91) and SIB force (ICC [3,3] = 0.77–0.89) was observed through day 21. Conclusions  The SIB technique was reliable for clinical research up to 21 days in patients with patellofemoral pain.

authors

  • Frye, Jamie L.
  • Hart, Joseph M.

publication date

  • 2015

webpage

published in

number of pages

  • 4

start page

  • 1207

end page

  • 1211

volume

  • 50

issue

  • 11