Patellofemoral Joint Loading During the Performance of the Forward and Side Lunge with Step Height Variations.
Rafael Escamilla, Naiquan Zheng, Toran D MacLeod and 6 others
PMID 35136686WHAT IT FOUND
Side lunges generated higher knee joint forces than forward lunges at deeper angles, while forward lunges generated higher forces at shallow angles.
Lunging at ground level produced greater stress than lunging onto a 10cm platform at moderate knee bends. This helps therapists select lunge variations to control knee loading.
Key findings
01Patellofemoral force and stress were significantly greater during the side lunge compared to the forward lunge at knee angles between 40° and 100°.
02At lower knee angles (10° during descent, 10° and 30° during ascent), the forward lunge generated significantly greater patellofemoral force and stress than the side lunge.
03Lunging at ground level resulted in significantly greater patellofemoral force and stress compared to lunging up to a 10 cm platform at specific mid-range knee angles (40°-60°).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study included only healthy participants, so the findings may not apply directly to individuals with existing patellofemoral pain syndrome or altered biomechanics. Patellofemoral stress was calculated using patellar contact area values from MRI data in the literature, not measured directly in the study participants. The study did not account for femoral rotation under the patella, which MRI studies suggest occurs during squats and could affect stress distribution. The sample size was small (n=16).
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by a California State University Sacramento Research Grant.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that lunging onto a platform is always safer or less stressful for the knee. The reduction in stress compared to ground-level lunging was only significant at specific mid-range angles (40°-60°); at other angles, the difference was not statistically significant.