Effects of Pelvic Tilt Exercises Along With Hip and Knee Focused Exercises on Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

NCT ID: NCT06913426

Last Updated: 2025-04-06

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 48 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-03-20
• Study Completion Date: 2026-02-20

Brief Summary

This study is designed as a Randomized Controlled Trial to be conducted at the CRC Department of Chaudhary Muhammad Akram Teaching and research Hospital, Lahore.

Detailed Description

A total of 48 participants will be recruited accounting for a 10% dropout rate (42+6=48) and equally divided into two groups 24 participants in each group: Group A(Intervention) and Group B(Control). Participants will be selected based on inclusion criteria which includes individuals aged 35-55 years with a clinical diagnosis of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (positive Patellar Compression Test) symptoms persisting for at least 6 weeks to 6 months and moderate-to-severe knee pain (NPRS ≥ 4). They must also be willing to comply with study protocols. Exclusion criteria include recent knee surgery, other knee conditions (e.g., ligament injuries or severe osteoarthritis), and neurological disorders affecting movement or cognition.

Conditions

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Pelvic Tilt, Hip and Knee Focused Exercises (Intervention Group)

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Pelvic Tilt, Hip and Knee Focused Exercises (Intervention Group)

Intervention Type: COMBINATION_PRODUCT

The treatment program is between one to six weeks with strictly 18 sessions with at least thrice in a week to give room to recuperate from muscle fatigue. This protocol is set in a 45 minutes session that involves a series of exercises and stretches. The quadriceps muscles strengthening exercises, hamstring and the calf raising workouts such as the hamstring curls and heel raise are done in 3 sets of 10-15 reps. Patellofemoral joint mobilization which should not last more than 2-3 minutes due to possible patient discomfort is performed and its primary goal is increasing joint mobility. After that the patient is to perform exercises for pelvic tilt in three approaches, each made in 10 to 15 repetitions.

Hip and Knee Focused Exercises(Control Group)

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Hip and Knee Focused Exercises(Control Group)

Intervention Type: DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

The treatment program covers a time frame of one to six weeks, three sessions a week, total of 18 sessions, over six weeks. Each session takes 45 minutes and contains a schedule of activities. The quadriceps muscles strengthening exercises, hamstring and the calf raising workouts such as the hamstring curls and heel raise are done in 3 sets of 10-15 reps. Patellofemoral joint mobilization which should not last more than 2-3 minutes due to possible patient discomfort is performed and its primary goal is increasing joint mobility. Then Patient performs hip exercises; hip abductor as well as hip extension, which are done in three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions each. Likewise, the knee-focused workouts such as quad sets, straight leg raises and step-up are conducted in the same 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions style. Static flexibility exercises includes Hip Flexor Stretch, IT Band Stretch and these exercises are performed with 5 sets of 30 seconds.

Interventions

Pelvic Tilt, Hip and Knee Focused Exercises (Intervention Group)

The treatment program is between one to six weeks with strictly 18 sessions with at least thrice in a week to give room to recuperate from muscle fatigue. This protocol is set in a 45 minutes session that involves a series of exercises and stretches. The quadriceps muscles strengthening exercises, hamstring and the calf raising workouts such as the hamstring curls and heel raise are done in 3 sets of 10-15 reps. Patellofemoral joint mobilization which should not last more than 2-3 minutes due to possible patient discomfort is performed and its primary goal is increasing joint mobility. After that the patient is to perform exercises for pelvic tilt in three approaches, each made in 10 to 15 repetitions.

Intervention Type: COMBINATION_PRODUCT

Hip and Knee Focused Exercises(Control Group)

The treatment program covers a time frame of one to six weeks, three sessions a week, total of 18 sessions, over six weeks. Each session takes 45 minutes and contains a schedule of activities. The quadriceps muscles strengthening exercises, hamstring and the calf raising workouts such as the hamstring curls and heel raise are done in 3 sets of 10-15 reps. Patellofemoral joint mobilization which should not last more than 2-3 minutes due to possible patient discomfort is performed and its primary goal is increasing joint mobility. Then Patient performs hip exercises; hip abductor as well as hip extension, which are done in three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions each. Likewise, the knee-focused workouts such as quad sets, straight leg raises and step-up are conducted in the same 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions style. Static flexibility exercises includes Hip Flexor Stretch, IT Band Stretch and these exercises are performed with 5 sets of 30 seconds.

Intervention Type: DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Participants must have a clinical diagnosis of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome.
• Participants should be aged between 35 and 55 years, as this is the typical age group affected by PFPS and will help standardize the sample.
• Individuals with a BMI ranging from 18 to 25 kg/m2.
• Participants should have had symptoms of PFPS for at least 6 weeks to 6 months, ensuring the condition is subacute and chronic.
• Knee Pain Severity: Patients must report moderate to severe knee pain (e.g., pain score ≥ 4 on a 0-10 pain scale) to assess the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions.
• Participants must be willing to engage in the prescribed exercise program and comply with study protocols including follow-up assessments.

Exclusion Criteria

• Individuals who have undergone knee surgery within the last 6 months, as post-surgical rehabilitation could interfere with the study outcomes and confound results. Patients with other knee conditions, such as ligament injuries (e.g., ACL or MCL tears), meniscal tears or osteoarthritis, which could significantly affect rehabilitation or complicate the assessment of PFPS.
• Individuals with severe knee osteoarthritis (e.g., Kellgren-Lawrence grade 3 or 4) as it may impact the treatment response and differ from the typical PFPS rehabilitation approach.
• Individuals with neurological conditions (e.g., stroke, multiple sclerosis or peripheral neuropathy) that affect movement, balance or cognition making participation in rehabilitation exercises unsafe or difficult.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 35 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 55 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Superior University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Muhammad Naveed Babur

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Superior University CRC

Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan

Countries

Pakistan

Other Identifiers

MSRSW/Batch-Fall23/797

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id