Clinical Trials

Inclusion Criteria:

• Active, healthy, young adults capable of performing single-leg tasks and free from current lower extremity or back pain.

Exclusion Criteria: 

• Since testing involves fatigue-inducing isometric contractions of the hip and spinal extensors, subjects with a resting blood pressure greater than 140/90 mmHg or a history of low back pain within 6 months of testing will be excluded. 
• Secondary to the nature of the single-limb squat exercise comprising the primary test in the study, subjects with patellofemoral pain syndrome symptoms (anterior/peripatellar knee pain > 2 on the 11-point pain intensity scale when walking down stairs, squatting, or after prolonged sitting) within 6 months prior to testing or subjects with history of traumatic knee injury (ligament tear, patella dislocation, knee surgery) will be excluded from participating. 
• Subjects will also be excluded from participating if there is any suspicion of ligamentous injury or meniscal damage.  Signs and symptoms of knee conditions will be screened with a pre-enrollment survey and pre-enrollment testing. 
  • Study personnel will screen subjects for ligamentous instability by performing the Lachman test to assess anterior cruciate ligament integrity, the posterior drawer test to assess posterior cruciate ligament integrity, and valgus and varus thrust tests to assess medial and lateral collateral ligament integrity, respectively. 
  • Study personnel will screen subjects for meniscus pathology by palpating for joint line tenderness and for patella instability by performing a patella apprehension test.