Case Background
A 28-year-old male recreational runner presented with right knee pain that developed 6 weeks after increasing weekly running volume from 20km to 35km. Clinical examination suggested patellofemoral pain syndrome. The referring physician requested biomechanical analysis to identify contributing factors and guide treatment planning.
Assessment Protocol
Using HoloMotion's markerless motion capture system, we performed a standardized assessment protocol: treadmill running at self-selected pace (3 minutes), single-leg squat (5 repetitions each side), and drop jump landing (3 trials). All movements were captured using a single RGB-D camera positioned 2.5 meters from the subject.
Key Findings: Ground Reaction Force Analysis
The AI-powered biomechanical analysis revealed several significant findings:
Right side vertical impact loading rate was 23% higher than left side, indicating asymmetric force absorption. Peak knee valgus angle during single-leg squat was 14° on the right (vs. 8° left), suggesting hip abductor weakness. Contralateral pelvic drop during running stance phase averaged 6° (normal: <4°), confirming gluteus medius insufficiency.
Clinical Implications
The biomechanical findings directly informed the rehabilitation plan: targeted gluteus medius strengthening program, gait retraining to reduce impact loading rate asymmetry, gradual running volume progression following the 10% rule, and follow-up biomechanical assessment at 6 and 12 weeks to track progress.
Outcome
At 12-week follow-up, the patient reported complete resolution of knee pain. Repeat biomechanical analysis showed impact loading rate asymmetry reduced to 8% (from 23%), knee valgus improved to 9° (from 14°), and pelvic drop normalized to 3°. The patient successfully returned to 35km weekly running volume pain-free.
