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NCT Number: NCT07064044

Muscle Energy Technique With and Without Patellar Inferior Glide in Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is one of the most commonly diagnosed conditions among adolescents and adults with knee complaints, accounting for approximately 25% of knee disorders diagnosed in sports medical clinics. While the etiology of PFPS is suggested to be multifactorial, several contributing factors such as lower knee extensors strength, quadriceps imbalance, weak hip abductors and overuse have been identified.

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Key information

Conditions

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome Joint Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

20 year–40 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Rims Rehabilitation Centre

Multan Khurd, Punjab Province, 54000, Pakistan

Location contact

Narmeen Haseeb, MSPT

CONTACT

[email protected]

923012721919

About this study

This study will be a randomized clinical trial and will be conducted in RIMS Rehabilitation Center Multan and Hadi Physiotherapy Center Multan. Non-probability convenient sampling will be used to collect the data. Sample size of 36 subjects with age group 20-40 years will be taken. Data will be collected from the patients having patellofemoral pain syndrome. Outcome measures will be taken using Numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) for pain, Universal Goniometer (GU) for Range of motion and Kujala Anterior Knee Pain Scale (AKPS) for disability. An informed consent will be taken. Subjects will be selected on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria and will be equally divided into two groups by random number generator table. Group A will receive muscle energy technique and patellar inferior glide and conventional physical therapy while group B will receive muscle energy technique and conventional treatment. Outcome measures will be measured at baseline and after 4 weeks. Data analysis will be done by SPSS version 25.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Individuals with age 20-40Years
  • Pain rating > 3 and < 7 on NPRS
  • Patella alta confirmed with ISI (Insall Salvati index) ratio > 1.2 on lateral knee radiograph
  • Positive Ely's test for rectus femoris tightness
  • Positive eccentric step test

Exclusion criteria

  • History of patellofemoral dislocation
  • Knee osteoarthritis
  • Recently undergo to surgery to knee
  • Fracture in knee region
  • Positive patellar tap test for knee joint effusion
  • Lateral and medial tracking of patella
  • Patients taking NSAIDs and corticosteroids

Treatment and study plan

Conventional Traetment

Other

TENS applied for 10 minutes, Therapeutic ultrasound,Hip abductors and lateral rotators strengthening, Hamstring muscle passive stretching, Isometrics for quadriceps, given thrice a week for 4 weeks .

Muscle Energy Technique and Patellar Inferior Glide

Other

Muscle Energy Technique for Hamstrings and Quadriceps While the patient contract muscle (Hamstring / Quadriceps) the therapist applies a gentle controlled force. After the contraction patient release and the therapist reposition the leg into a new barrier. Intensity of contraction will be 20-25-% of maximum strength. Each contraction will be held for 5-7 seconds, followed by additional passive stretching maintained for 30 and the relaxation patellar inferior glide applied at patella: the examiner applied a gentle downward force on the patella with their right hand, while the left hand controlled the direction of the patella's movement. This will be applied for 3-4 minutes as tolerated by the patient.

Primary outcomes

  1. Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)

    Time frame: upto 4 weeks

    The Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) is perhaps the most frequently applied scale used to quantify pain intensity in the clinical setting. It is an 11-point numeric scale, ranging from 0 indicating no pain to 10 indicating worst pain imaginable

  2. Universal Goniometer

    Time frame: upto 4 weeks

    Universal goniometer (UG) is commonly used as a standard method to evaluate range of motion (ROM) as part of joint motions.

  3. Kujala Anterior Knee Pain Scale (AKPS)

    Time frame: upto 4 weeks

    The Kujala patellofemoral scoring system is a tool used to assess the functional ability of the knee joint, specifically in relation to patellofemoral-related issues. This scoring system ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better knee function and less pain, while lower scores indicate greater dysfunction and more severe pain.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Samrood Akram, PhD Scholar

CONTACT

[email protected]

03324806143

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Riphah International University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Effects of Muscle Energy Technique With and Without Patellar Inferior Glide on Pain, Range of Motion and Disability in Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Jul 14, 2025
Registry last updated
Jul 14, 2025

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.

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