Abstract: BACKGROUND: It has been found that anterior knee pain is related to the biomechanics of the lower limbs, but there is still a lack of research on the effects of gluteal muscle training on the knee joint and daily activities of the lower limbs. 
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of gluteal muscle activation exercise therapy on the muscle strength of hip and knee joint muscle groups and pain in young male patients with anterior knee pain. 
METHODS: Twenty-five young male patients with anterior knee pain were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups: gluteal muscle activation group (n=12) and blank control group (n=13). The gluteal muscle activation group performed gluteal muscle activation exercises, 40 minutes each, 3 times/week, for 6 weeks. The blank control group did not perform any intervention. Assessments were conducted at the time of enrollment and again after 6 weeks. The relative peak torque, total work, ratio of flexors and extensors, and muscle endurance values of the affected hip and knee joints were evaluated through isokinetic flexion and extension tests at 60 (°)/s and 180 (°)/s. At the same time, floors at which climbing was stopped in the stair-climbing test were detected and the visual analog scale score was assessed. 
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Isokinetic knee extension and flexion test: For the hip joint, the gluteal muscle activation group showed a significant increase in the relative peak torque at 60 (°)/s and 180 (°)/s by 29.74% and 25.95% respectively after intervention (P=0.022, P=0.024); the blank control group showed a 12.12% decrease in muscle endurance at 180 (°)/s compared to before intervention (P=0.000). For the knee joints, the gluteal muscle activation group had a significant increase in the relative peak torque at 60 (°)/s and 180 (°)/s by 18.69% and 7.27% respectively after intervention (P=0.006, P=0.033); there were no significant changes in the blank control group before and after intervention (P > 0.05). (2) Stair-climbing test: The number of floors climbed to cessation in the gluteal muscle activation group was (6.41±6.1) floors, which was higher than that in the blank control group (P=0.024), and increased by 33.11% compared with before intervention (P=0.016); there were no significant changes in all the indicators of the blank control group before and after intervention (P > 0.05). (3) Pain assessment: After intervention, the visual analogue scale score of the gluteal muscle activation group was significantly lower than that of the blank control (P=0.036), and also decreased compared to before intervention (P=0.000); there were no significant changes in the blank control group before and after intervention (P > 0.05). To conclude, the 6-week gluteal activation exercise therapy can improve the explosive power and endurance of the lower limb muscles, and reduce the degree of anterior knee pain. For patients with anterior knee pain, gluteal muscle training is necessary to promote recovery.

中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：组织构建；骨细胞；软骨细胞；细胞培养；成纤维细胞；血管内皮细胞；骨质疏松；组织工程

Key words: gluteal muscle activation, exercise therapy, anterior knee pain, lower limb, hip, knee joint, isokinetic strength, visual analogue scale score, engineered exercise therapy