The Effect of Rehabilitation Exercises with Electromyographic (EMG) Assessment on the Rehabilitation of Chondromalacia Patellae and Functional Performance in Weightlifters.

Abstract

The knee joint is considered one of the most important joints in the human body and is particularly susceptible to injury, especially in high-intensity sports. Among the common knee injuries is Chondromalacia Patella, which frequently occurs in weightlifting. This condition results in an imbalance in the function of the quadriceps femoris muscle, where weakness develops in the medial portion of the muscle alongside increased strength in the lateral portion, allowing the patella to deviate outward. The treatment of this condition is typically medical, either through pharmacological therapy or the use of physical therapy modalities such as electrical stimulation and heat therapy. However, since the injury is fundamentally characterized by muscular weakness, its effective management relies on therapeutic exercises aimed at addressing weakness and muscular atrophy. The significance of this study lies in the development of a therapeutic program consisting of rehabilitative exercises represented by strength exercises with progressively increasing intensity, targeting different types of muscular strength to improve the strength of the affected muscle. The researcher relied on electromyography (EMG) indicators—namely reaction time, continuity, and wavelength—to measure the improvement and development of the affected muscle. This approach is intended to provide rehabilitation specialists and coaches with a scientific framework to alleviate the pain experienced by weightlifters, which hinders their performance and may lead to frustration and loss of hope in recovery, ultimately causing withdrawal from training and competition. Accordingly, the aim of the study is to design a proposed therapeutic program consisting of rehabilitative movement exercises to improve and treat Chondromalacia Patella in weightlifters. The researcher employed the experimental method due to its suitability for the nature of the study. The research population and sample were selected using a purposive sampling method, consisting of (10) injured weightlifters attending the specialized clinic for joint disorders and medical rehabilitation in Wasit Governorate. The results of the study demonstrated improvement and recovery from Chondromalacia Patella among the weightlifters in the sport of weightlifting.