Core Stability Exercises Versus Proprioceptive Training on Pain and Function in Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Core Stability Exercises, Proprioceptive Training, traditional therapy.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome. Basic parameters: 18 years — 40 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
This study will be conducted to investigate the effect of core stability exercises versus proprioceptive training in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome.
Detailed description
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders causing anterior knee pain, particularly during activities that increase patellofemoral joint stress such as squatting, stair climbing, running, or prolonged sitting .Core stability exercises play a fundamental role in maintaining the kinetic chain alignment between the trunk, pelvis, and lower limb. Dysfunction of the lumbopelvic-hip complex can lead to compensatory movement patterns, increasing stress on the knee joint. Strengthening the core muscles, particularly the transversus abdominis, multifidus, and gluteal muscles, enhances postural control and optimizes force transmission during dynamic activities. Proprioceptive training, on the other hand, targets sensorimotor control by enhancing afferent feedback and neuromuscular coordination. Individuals with PFPS often present with impaired joint position sense and delayed neuromuscular responses around the knee, which may contribute to joint instability and persistent pain. Proprioceptive exercises, including balance, perturbation, and kinesthetic training, improve joint stability and coordination by stimulating mechanoreceptors and enhancing central processing of sensory input.Therefore, this study will aim to fill an important gap in the current literature by directly comparing the effects of core stabilization exercises and proprioceptive training on pain intensity, pain pressure threshold, quadriceps muscle strength, and proprioceptive acuity of knee, knee joint range of motion and functional ability in patients with PFPS
Interventions
- Other Core Stability Exercises
core stability exercises including warm-up, main training, and cool-down phases; warm up exercises in the form of Cat-Camel exercise will be performed for 5-8 cycles to mobilize the spine and promote smooth segmental motion. The primary main training consisted of McGill's "Big Three" core stabilization exercises, which emphasize endurance and control of the deep stabilizing muscles, curl up, side bridge, and Quadrupedal stance, finallly the cool down phase had dynamic stretching at the end of ea - Other Proprioceptive Training
proprioceptive training consisted of group of exercises for balance on 1 leg on a stable surface and a unstable surface. in addition to tradional therapy. - Other traditional therapy
tradional therapy in the form of interferential therapy, knee strengthening exercises, knee strengthening exercises, stretching exercises, patellar mobilization and ischemic compression
Primary outcome measures
- pain intensity [Time frame: up to four weeks]
- knee disability [Time frame: up to four weeks]
Secondary outcome measures (4)
- pressure pain threshold [Time frame: up to four weeks]
- knee range of motion [Time frame: up to four weeks]
- knee proprioception (joint position error) [Time frame: up to four weeks]
- quadriceps muscle strength [Time frame: up to four weeks]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- A confirmed diagnosis of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) based on clinical and radiographic examination, with no evidence of other knee pathologies, as verified by an orthopaedic physician
- Presence of unilateral PFPS for a minimum duration of three months, indicating a chronic condition
- Age between 18 and 40 years, representing the typical symptomatic population affected by PFPS
- Body Mass Index (BMI) less than 30 kg/m², ensuring exclusion of obesity as a confounding factor.
- Report of increased anterior knee pain during at least two of the following patellofemoral stress-provoking activities: stair ascent or descent, squatting, kneeling, running, or prolonged sitting
- A positive patellar grind test (Clarke's sign) confirming involvement of the patellofemoral joint
Exclusion criteria
- Presence of chronic pain conditions unrelated to Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) as Rheumatoid arthritis, Chronic neuropathic pain, chronic low back pain and knee and hip osteoarthritis.
- Pregnancy or history of recent trauma affecting the pelvic or knee region
- History of corticosteroid injection in the affected knee
- Presence of ankle arthritis or gouty arthritis, which may alter lower-limb biomechanics
- History of previous surgical intervention involving the lumbar spine, hip, knee, or foot
- Presence of lower-limb structural deformities, including pes planus, knee valgus, or knee varus deformities
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Single blind
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07664566 · P.T.REC/012/006411