Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT07531550

Core and Hip-Knee Exercises in PFPS

Study Purpose:

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of adding core muscle strengthening exercises to a hip- and knee-focused exercise program on pain intensity, dynamic knee valgus (DKV), and functional outcomes in female patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS).

Research Question:

Does adding core muscle strengthening exercises to a hip- and knee-focused exercise program have an effect on pain intensity, dynamic knee valgus (DKV), and functional outcomes in female patients with PFPS?

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Pain DKV Neurologic Manifestations Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

19 week–35 week

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Cairo University - Faculty of Physical Therapy

Giza, Giza Governorate, 12613, Egypt

About this study

Detailed Description:

Therefore, the current study aims to investigate the effect of adding core muscle strengthening exercises to a hip- and knee-focused exercise program on pain intensity, dynamic knee valgus (DKV), and functional outcomes in female patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS).

The findings of this study may provide a more effective rehabilitation program for female patients with PFPS, support the use of validated outcome measures in clinical practice, and improve symptom management during activities of daily living and functional recovery within a shorter period of time. This combined approach may be more efficient than the conventional hip- and knee-focused exercise program alone. Systematic assessment and monitoring of patient outcomes are recommended to guide clinical decision-making.

Study Delimitations:

This study will be delimited to:

Female patients clinically diagnosed with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). Thirty-six participants aged 19-35 years with body mass index (BMI) up to 25 kg/m².

Assessment procedures including Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for knee pain, dynamic knee valgus (DKV) measured using Kinovea software, and the Knee Outcome Survey-Activities of Daily Living Scale (KOS-ADLS) for knee function.

Treatment procedures:

Group A (control group): hip- and knee-focused exercise program. Group B (study group): hip- and knee-focused exercise program in addition to core muscle stability exercises.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Thirty-six female participants diagnosed and referred with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) (retropatellar knee pain lasting more than 6 weeks).
  • Age range between 19-35 years.
  • Body Mass Index (BMI) up to 25 kg/m².

Exclusion criteria

  • History of previous surgeries of the lower limb.
  • Clinical evidence of knee joint complex disorders, including meniscus lesions, 3-patellar tendinopathy, chondral lesions, or knee osteoarthritis.

4-Presence of pronated foot.

Treatment and study plan

Core Muscle Stability Exercise Program

Behavioral

core muscle training exercises, including the front plank, side plank, and dead bug exercises

hip and knee-focused exercise program

Behavioral

Open kinetic chain exercises including side-lying hip abduction, hip external rotation (clamshell), prone hip extension, short arc quadriceps, and straight leg raises (Khayambashi et al., 2012) ( Dolak et al., 2011).

  • Closed kinetic chain exercises including mini wall squats and terminal knee extensions (Hott et al., 2020).
  • Flexibility exercises targeting tight lower extremity soft tissues, including a seated hamstring stretch, standing quadriceps stretch, and standing wall stretch for the gastrocnemius

Primary outcomes

  1. Pain Intensity During Motion

    Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and at 6 weeks (post-intervention)

    Pain intensity during movement will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The VAS is a 10-cm scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity.

  2. Knee Function

    Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and at 6 weeks (post-intervention)

    Knee function will be assessed using the Knee Outcome Survey (KOS). The KOS score ranges from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate better knee function.

  3. Pain Intensity at Rest

    Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and at 6 weeks (post-intervention)

    Pain intensity at rest will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The VAS is a 10-cm scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity.

  4. Dynamic Knee Valgus (DKV)

    Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention) and at 6 weeks (post-intervention)

    Dynamic knee valgus will be assessed by measuring the knee valgus angle in degrees during functional tasks. Higher values indicate greater valgus deviation and poorer knee alignment.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Cairo University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

EFFECT OF CORE STABILITY EXERCISES AND KNEE, HIP FOCUSED EXERSISES ON DYNAMIC KNEE VALGUS IN PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN SYNDROME

Acronym: DKV

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Apr 15, 2026
Registry last updated
Jul 1, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.