Clinical trial NCT06610981: Laser Acupuncture on Pain, Range of Motion and Function in Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Official title: Impact of Laser Acupuncture on Pain, Range of Motion and Function in Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Keywords: laser acuouncture
function
pain
range of motion
Lead sponsor: Cairo University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2024-09-24
Enrollment: 60
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 25
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is among the most prevalent forms of knee discomfort. The main complaint is typically anterior knee pain, which gets worse while jumping, bending knee, going up or down stairs, or sitting for long periods of time with bent knee. Teens and early adulthood are commonly affected by patellofemoral pain syndrome, with a higher frequency in females. In healthy general populations, the prevalence of patellofemoral pain syndrome is 22.7%, and in teens, it is 28.9%.

Detailed description: The treatment goals of patellofemoral pain syndrome are to reduce pain, increase muscle strength, increase flexibility, and correct the patellar movement tract. Conservative methods should be used before invasive methods when treating PFPS. One of the ways that people with PFPS may benefit from improved knee function and long-term pain reduction is by strengthening their quadriceps muscles, which primarily reduce force in the patellofemoral joint. Conservative methods described in the literature include the following: modifying activities; electrophysical modalities like biofeedback; therapeutic ultrasound; neuromuscular electrical stimulation; thermotherapy; interferential current; transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS); knee braces; strengthening the hamstring, anterior tibialis, and gluteal muscles; stretching for iliotibial band and lateral retinaculum.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (positive Clarkes sign and Waldron test)
* Age from 18 to 25 years
* Patients suffering from pain which aggravated by prolonged sitting, stair climbing, running, squatting, kneeling, hopping\\jumping, overuse activities and relieved by rest for at least 3 months
* Visual analog scale (VAS) greater than 3 points in daily activity
* The ability to participate in the study and follow the treatment schedule.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Physiotherapy in the last 12 months
* Intra-articular injection in the last 3 months
* Other knee disorders such as: (osteoarthritis, previous knee surgery, history of knee arthroplasty, or traumatic injury related joint deformity)
* BMI greater than or equal 30
* Pregnancy
* Pacemaker insertion
* Photosensitivity
* History of using oral analgesic or NSAIDs in the previous 4 weeks,
* History of malignancy, psychiatric disorder, mental retardation, neurologic dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, or uncontrolled hypertension.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Visual analogue scale
timeFrame: 4 weeks
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Range of motion for knee flexion
timeFrame: 4 weeks
measure: Function of knee joint
timeFrame: 4 weeks
measure: Range of motion for knee extension
timeFrame: 4 weeks
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Giza
country: Egypt
facility: Faculty of Physical Therapy
Study officials:
affiliation: Assisstant professor of physical therapy for surgery, Faculty of physical therapy
name: Zeinab Ali Hamada, PhD
role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
References: