OBJECTIVE: To compare a commercially available electric muscle stimulation regimen with a novel form of stimulation for the rehabilitation of the quadriceps muscle, in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome. DESIGN: Double-blinded randomized trial with a parallel control group and stratified randomization. SETTING: Home-based rehabilitation program assessed in research center. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty patients (47 women, 33 men) with patellofemoral pain syndrome. INTERVENTIONS: One group (EMPI) received 1 uniform constant frequency component of 35Hz. The other (EXPER) group received an experimental form of stimulation that contained 5 simultaneously delivered frequency components of 125, 83, 50, 2.5, and 2 Hz. Stimulation was applied to the quadriceps muscles of the affected leg for 1 hour daily for 6 weeks, a total of 42 treatments. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Lower-limb isometric and isokinetic torque, quadriceps fatigue, knee flexion, patellar pain, a step test, quadriceps cross-sectional area, and Kujala patellofemoral score for pain before and after treatment. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients (43 women, 31 men) completed the trial. Patients in both groups showed significant improvements in all outcomes (p < 0.05). No significant differences existed between the 2 stimulators in any outcome (p > 0.05) except for quadriceps cross-sectional area (p = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: One form of stimulation was just as efficacious as the other in improving subjective and objective measures.

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