NCT02597673

Trial of Self-managed Approaches for Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome in Active Duty

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 132 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Tennessee · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 45 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The overall objective of this project is to compare the three home-managed treatment regimens for PFPS: neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and NMES combined with TENS to a standard home exercise program (HEP). Each of the three treatment arms will be supplemented by HEP and compared to a group receiving standard HEP alone. The central hypothesis is that the combination of NMES with TENS will show significantly greater improvements in muscle strength, mobility, pain, daily activity and quality of life (QOL) than HEP alone. The investigators are examining: 1) whether the three treatment regimens are significantly more efficacious than standard HEP alone in improving lower extremity muscle strength, physical activity, mobility, pain, and quality of life; 2) lower extremity muscle strength, physical activity, mobility, pain, and quality of life differ significantly across the 4 time periods; 3) is there an interaction between treatment and time in relation to lower extremity muscle strength, physical activity, mobility, pain, and quality of life.

Detailed description

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is the most common diagnosis among active duty military presenting with knee pain in the military ambulatory care setting. The incidence of PFPS has shown a striking increase of \>11.3% over the last 4 years, affecting work performance, limiting activity, and impacting military deployment health. The investigators have shown that home-based neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is safe, portable, easy-to-use and improves quadriceps muscle strength with some pain relief. NMES and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) devices are widely used by warfighters in the theatre of operation for knee problems. The overall objective of this project is to compare three home-managed treatment regimens for PFPS: NMES, TENS, and NMES combined with TENS to a standard home exercise program (HEP). The central hypothesis is that the combination of NMES with TENS will show significantly greater improvements in muscle strength, mobility, pain, daily activity and quality of life (QOL) than HEP alone. The rationale for this study is that increasing muscle strength and decreasing pain will significantly improve mobility, physical activity and QOL. Such outcomes will ultimately result in improved deployability, retention of military personnel and decreased economic costs in this population. The specific aims are to determine whether the three treatment regimens are significantly more efficacious than standard HEP for improving muscle strength, physical activity, mobility, QOL and symptoms of PFPS including pain. After consent and baseline testing, the investigators will randomly assign active duty male and female subjects, ages 18 to \<45, (n=136) with PFPS to one of the four groups. Each of the three treatment arms will be supplemented by HEP and compared to a group receiving standard HEP alone. All groups will receive 9 weeks of home therapy. Using GEE methods, the investigators will build longitudinal regression models so that differences in time trends for the outcome variables among controls and those in the treatment groups can be statistically assessed. Positive results could translate into accelerated rehabilitation, decreased symptoms and lower medical costs with better patient outcomes.

Conditions

• Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Home Exercise Program (HEP)	All participants will receive a standard home-based exercise rehabilitation protocol for PFPS. HEP teaches muscle strengthening exercises and self-management strategies to prevent recurrence. This program includes sessions with the study coordinator. A handout and given a demonstration of the daily exercises to be performed at home and weekly communication from the study coordinator regarding compliance with the exercises.
DEVICE	NMES	To ensure consistent interventions across participants, a specified percentage of baseline maximal voluntary contraction (% MVC) will be used to determine the intensity of the training contraction. The electrical amplitude to obtain the desired intensity will be determined for each participant. Participants will train at 20-30% of MVC during weeks 1-3, 30-40% of MVC during weeks 3-6, and 40-50% of MVC during weeks 6-9. Incremental increases will be made at the 3 and 6 week clinic visits. Individualized instructions for adjusting the amplitude dial settings, with a return demonstration, will be used to maintain the appropriate percentage of MVC. During the home training sessions, participants will adjust the amplitude required to achieve the desired goal, as tolerated.
DEVICE	TENS	The TENS protocol consists of 20-minutes of TENS stimulation while concurrently performing the HEP. The TENS with HEP and HEP alone will be alternated for 9 weeks. The Active device delivers a pre-set program of pulsed electrostimulation using a patented asymmetrical simple modulated pulse (SMP) waveform. SMP delivers a group of pulses as a repeating 12-second cycle.

Timeline

• Start date: 2015-07-01
• Primary completion: 2018-05-31
• Completion: 2018-05-31
• First posted: 2015-11-05
• Last updated: 2020-10-01
• Results posted: 2020-10-01

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States