Aquatic-Plyo exercises effectively reduce pain and disability while improving muscle strength and health-related quality of life in adolescents with patellofemoral pain syndrome, making them a valuable addition to conservative rehabilitation strategies.
Aquatic plyometric exercise produced greater pain relief than conventional exercise in adolescents with patellofemoral pain syndrome.
Aquatic-Plyo produced larger increases in quadriceps peak torque than conventional exercise at both tested angular velocities.
Aquatic-Plyo produced larger increases in hamstring peak torque than conventional exercise at both tested angular velocities.
Aquatic-Plyo led to a greater reduction in functional disability than conventional exercise.
Aquatic-Plyo led to greater improvement in perceived health-related quality of life than conventional exercise.
The authors conclude that Aquatic-Plyo is a valuable addition to conservative rehabilitation for adolescent patellofemoral pain syndrome.
This study tested whether doing jumping-type (plyometric) exercises in water could help teenagers with patellofemoral pain syndrome, a common kind of pain around the kneecap. Fifty-six adolescents aged 10 to 18 were split into two groups. One group did plyometric exercises in water, and the other did conventional exercises. Both groups trained for 45 minutes, twice a week, for 12 weeks. After the program, the water-based jumping group had a larger drop in pain. They also had larger gains in the strength of both the front thigh muscles (quadriceps) and the back thigh muscles (hamstrings), measured at two movement speeds. They showed greater reductions in disability during daily activities and bigger improvements in quality of life. All of these differences between groups were statistically significant, although the effect sizes were small to moderate. This research suggests that exercising in water, where the joint bears less load, may be a useful option for adolescents with kneecap pain who need to build strength and function. The authors present it as an addition to conservative (non-surgical) rehabilitation rather than a replacement. The trial was fairly small, so larger and longer studies would help confirm the results.
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Upload Your LabsAlotaibi M, Elnaggar R, Alhowimel A, Alrawaili S, Elnegamy T, Alfeheid H, et al.. (2026). Clinical and functional outcomes of aquatic plyometrics in adolescent patellofemoral pain syndrome: a dual-arm randomized controlled trial.. Journal of rehabilitation medicine. https://doi.org/10.2340/jrm.v58.46495