Skip to main content

Table 3 Population characteristics and procedural details. Reflex activation.

From: The relative timing of VMO and VL in the aetiology of anterior knee pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Study and country of origin

Subject details (age in years; height in cm)

Asymptomatic control details (age in years; height in cm)

Task

Electrode type; sampling rate; signal processing

EMG onset determination method

AKP during test

Karst and Willett [30]

USA

See table 1

See table 1

Reflex knee extension elicited by patella tendon tap. High sitting with leg hanging over side of plinth, hip and knee at 90 degrees flexion

Surface Electrodes: SR 4000 Hz; raw signal used

Computerized: point at which signal exceeded mean + 1 SD of baseline level

NS

Witvrouw et al [18]

Belgium

No: 19/19

M/F:8/11

Age: 21.1, range 17–26

Height: NS

Profile: University Hospital clinic, Dept of Orthopaedic Surgery.

Symptom Duration: > 1 and 1/2 months

No: 80/80

M/F: 37/43

Age: 18.4, range 17–22

Height: NS

Profile: NS

 

Surface Electrodes: SR not stated; raw signal used

Visual: point at which EMG leaves baseline.

NS

Witvrouw et al [13]

Belgium

No: 480/282.

24 developed AKP and became subjects.

Profile (includes control): Students taking physical education classes.

12–14 hrs sport per week. No history of AKP at start.

M/F: 11/13

Mean age 18.6, (17–21) includes controls.

Height: 179.3 ± 5.38

Symptom Duration: > 1 and 1/2 months

As across. 258 did not develop AKP and became controls.

M/F: 151/131

Height: 180.16 ± 6.25

 

Surface Electrodes: SR not stated; raw signal used

Visual: point at which EMG leaves baseline.

NS

Voight and Wieder [6]

USA

No: 16/16

M/F: 10/6

Age: 26.1 (19–31)

Height: NS

Profile:Professional, recreational and non-athletes from sports clinic Miami University.

Symptom Duration: NS

No: 41/41

M/F: 17/24

Age: 24.8, (18 – 45)

Height: NS

Profile: "@age matched", otherwise NS

 

Surface Electrodes: SR not stated; raw signal used

Visual: point at which EMG leaves baseline.

NS

  1. Abbreviations:
  2. AKP – anterior knee pain; cm – centimetres; EMG – electromyography; F – female; FWR – full wave rectification; LPF – low pass filter; M – male; No – number; NS – not stated; RMS – root mean square; SD- standard deviation