Functional Strength Training and Kinesiotaping, With and Without Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation in Fibular (Peroneal) Neuropathy

NCT ID: NCT07191301

Last Updated: 2025-09-24

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 48 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-11-30
• Study Completion Date: 2026-01-31

Brief Summary

Fibular neuropathy frequently manifests as foot drop, muscle weakness, altered gait, and sensory loss, all of which severely reduce mobility and quality of life. There is still uncertainty regarding the efficacy of kinesio taping (KT), proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), and functional strength training (FST) in combination. Although PNF improves neuromuscular coordination, KT provides proprioceptive input, and FST increases strength and mobility, there are no set treatment guidelines and little research has compared these modalities. In order to contribute to evidence-based rehabilitation techniques for people with fibular neuropathy, this study attempts to assess whether adding PNF to FST and KT improves functional outcomes compared to FST and KT alone.

Conditions

Peroneal Neuropathy

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Interventional Group A

Functional Strength Training (FST) + Kinesio Taping (KT) with Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF).

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Functional Strength Training, Kinesio Taping, and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will undergo 8 weeks of supervised treatment, 3 sessions per week (24 sessions). Each session includes a warm-up with stretches, range-of-motion exercises, and Functional Strength Training (mini hops, stair climbing, ramp walking, sit-to-stand). Kinesio Taping will be applied from the foot's dorsum along the tibialis anterior and peroneus longus with 25-50% stretch for ankle support and dorsiflexor facilitation, re-applied every 3-4 days. In addition, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) lower-limb D1 flexion/extension patterns with manual resistance will be performed in 3 sets of 5 repetitions, lasting 35-40 minutes per session.

Functional Strength Training and Kinesio Taping

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will undergo 8 weeks of supervised treatment, 3 sessions per week (24 sessions). Each session includes a warm-up with stretches, range-of-motion exercises, and Functional Strength Training (mini hops, stair climbing, ramp walking, sit-to-stand). Kinesio Taping will be applied from the foot's dorsum along the tibialis anterior and peroneus longus with 25-50% stretch for ankle support and dorsiflexor facilitation, re-applied every 3-4 days. No PNF techniques will be applied.

Control Group B

Functional Strength Training (FST) + Kinesio Taping (KT) without PNF.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Functional Strength Training, Kinesio Taping, and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will undergo 8 weeks of supervised treatment, 3 sessions per week (24 sessions). Each session includes a warm-up with stretches, range-of-motion exercises, and Functional Strength Training (mini hops, stair climbing, ramp walking, sit-to-stand). Kinesio Taping will be applied from the foot's dorsum along the tibialis anterior and peroneus longus with 25-50% stretch for ankle support and dorsiflexor facilitation, re-applied every 3-4 days. In addition, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) lower-limb D1 flexion/extension patterns with manual resistance will be performed in 3 sets of 5 repetitions, lasting 35-40 minutes per session.

Functional Strength Training and Kinesio Taping

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will undergo 8 weeks of supervised treatment, 3 sessions per week (24 sessions). Each session includes a warm-up with stretches, range-of-motion exercises, and Functional Strength Training (mini hops, stair climbing, ramp walking, sit-to-stand). Kinesio Taping will be applied from the foot's dorsum along the tibialis anterior and peroneus longus with 25-50% stretch for ankle support and dorsiflexor facilitation, re-applied every 3-4 days. No PNF techniques will be applied.

Interventions

Functional Strength Training, Kinesio Taping, and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation

Participants will undergo 8 weeks of supervised treatment, 3 sessions per week (24 sessions). Each session includes a warm-up with stretches, range-of-motion exercises, and Functional Strength Training (mini hops, stair climbing, ramp walking, sit-to-stand). Kinesio Taping will be applied from the foot's dorsum along the tibialis anterior and peroneus longus with 25-50% stretch for ankle support and dorsiflexor facilitation, re-applied every 3-4 days. In addition, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) lower-limb D1 flexion/extension patterns with manual resistance will be performed in 3 sets of 5 repetitions, lasting 35-40 minutes per session.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Functional Strength Training and Kinesio Taping

Participants will undergo 8 weeks of supervised treatment, 3 sessions per week (24 sessions). Each session includes a warm-up with stretches, range-of-motion exercises, and Functional Strength Training (mini hops, stair climbing, ramp walking, sit-to-stand). Kinesio Taping will be applied from the foot's dorsum along the tibialis anterior and peroneus longus with 25-50% stretch for ankle support and dorsiflexor facilitation, re-applied every 3-4 days. No PNF techniques will be applied.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• • Adults (18-35 years old) are diagnosed with fibular neuropathy due to trauma or compression.

• Patients with muscle weakness, impaired balance and abnormal gait.
• Both Male and female participants will be included.
• Patients who test positive to the drag or slap test will be considered positive if the patient have difficulty in lifting the forefoot while walking, leading to dragging of the toes or compensatory hip/knee movements.

Exclusion Criteria

• • Recent foot or ankle surgery (<6 months).

• Complete loss of nerve supply
• Severe musculoskeletal or neurological conditions (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, myopathies, severe osteoarthritis, severe compression, progressive neuropathies, severe balance and fall risk, Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) and peripheral vascular diseases).
• Allergies to Kinesio tape materials.
• Patients who are not psychologically fit such as those who have undergone trauma and patients with severe psychological disorders (major depressive disorder, PTSD, schizophrenia) will be excluded if they have had a diagnosis within the last 6 months.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 35 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University of Lahore

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Sumayyah Farooq

Sumayyah Farooq

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Other Identifiers

Sumayah Farooq

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id