The 1st International Conference on Sustainable Health Development

The Effects of Neuromuscular Control Training Program

on Perceived Pain Level of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Athlete
Asha Hasnimy Mohd Hashim1*, and Lee Ai Choo2
1*
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia

ABSTRACT
Pain is an unpleasant sensation focused upon the body and not always associated
with tissue damage. As for individual or athlete with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
(PFPS), they will experienced pain at their anterior knee when performing knee-flexed
activities, thus may restricted their sport activities or performance. Therefore this study
investigated changes in Perceived Pain Level of PFPS athletes in one of Sports School in
Malaysia with the introduction of a comprehensive neuromuscular training program, over
8-week. Perceived Pain Level (PPL) was tested before and after the training program (8
weeks), by using 100-milimeter Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Step-down Test. The
Neuromuscular Control Training (NCT) program included a different level of Chase
Trainer Mode from Balance Trainer Software Suite that been arrange based on subjects
balance ability. These were performed in addition to normal subjects training routine. Of
an initial eligible group of fourteen athletes completed both tests and the full training
program, with mean (SD) age of 15.06 (1.26) years, body mass 56.06 (6.03) kg and height
165.56 (4.58) cm. To establish the instruments were reliable for assessment of the PPL
towards NCT program, reliability testing found the following ICC 2,2 of 0.844 with
Cronbachs alpha (r) of 0.912 and significant p at 0.000. Result shows percentage
improvement by 52.84% in terms of PPL after 8 weeks of NCT program. This shows that
the NCT program in addition to normal sports training routine can reduced the Perceived
Pain Level (PPL) of individual experienced Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS).
Keywords: Perceived Pain Level, Neuromuscular Control Training, Patellofemoral Pain
Syndrome
*Corresponding author. Tel: +60197733160 ; fax: +607-5560542
Email address: asha@utm.my