REHABILITATION APPROACHES FORIPATELLOFEMORAL PAIN SYNDROME: A REVIEW ON PATELLARIMOBILIZATION AND OPEN CHAIN EXERCISE EFFECTIVENESS IN SPORTS CLUB ATHLETES

Abstract

Background: Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a condition that causes pain at the front ofithe knee, around the kneecap. Two common treatments used to manage this condition are patellar mobilization and open chain exercises. Patellar mobilization involves gently moving the kneecap either medially or laterally to correct its alignment, while open chain exercises play a role in strengthening of quadriceps.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze existing literature on the role of patellar mobilization in reducing pain and improving tracking in PFPS.

Methodology: This review followed a structured methodology to evaluate the effectiveness of patellar mobilization techniques, closed and open kinetic chain exercises, and other physiotherapy interventions for managing Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS). Research published between2020 to 2025 was systematically searched across databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, PEDro.

Results: Recent studies (2020–2025) show that targeted rehabilitation for PFPS, including closed kinetic chain exercises and manual therapy techniques like MWM, effectively reduces pain and improves function. Closed chain exercises consistently produced greater strength and functional gains, whilemanual therapy     enhanced mobility  and       short-term            pain      relief.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that both patellar mobilization and open chain exercises are effective in managing patellofemoral pain syndrome in sports players. However, open chain exercises proved to be more effective, leading to greater improvements in pain reduction, range of imotion and functional activity.