Publication:

Correlation of rearfoot angle to Q-angle in patellofemoral pain syndrome: a prospective study

Background Objective of the study was to evaluate the correlation between rearfoot posture to Q-angle in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Methods This is a two-year prospective observational study in which all patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome in the age group of 20-30 years were included in the study. The static Q-angle and the rearfoot angles of these subjects were measured and analyzed statistically for their correlation.

Results There were sixty patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria of the study. Pearson product moment correlation showed 27% subjects having rearfoot valgus and 73% having rearfoot varus angle. T test showed statistically significant Q-angle for rearfoot varus compared to rearfoot valgus.

Conclusions Rearfoot varus is more commonly associated with patellofemoral pain syndrome. The Q-angle increases in both rearfoot varus and valgus but is significantly more in patients with rearfoot varus.