NCT05403944

Strength or Power Training for Patellofemoral Pain

Optimizing Clinical Outcomes for Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Using Strength Training Rehabilitation Incorporating Power Exercises

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 88 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Connecticut · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 40 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The objective of this study is to compare a novel 6-week strength training rehabilitation incorporating power exercises (STRIPE) program to a standard of care (SOC) program on short-term and long-term pain, subjective function, patellofemoral pain recurrence rates, and secondary outcomes (hip abduction and extension rate of torque development and single-leg squat kinematics). We hypothesize that participants with patellofemoral pain who complete the STRIPE program will have 1) decreased pain, 2) improved subjective function, 3) reduced patellofemoral pain recurrence rates, 4a) improved hip abduction/extension rate of torque development, and 4b) decreased hip adduction and pelvic drop during a single leg squat compared to participants who complete a SOC rehabilitation program.

Detailed description

The proposed study will compare strength-based exercises, which is the standard of care (SOC), that target the hip abductors, hip extensors, lumbo-pelvic, and quadriceps muscles, to a strength training program that utilized power-based exercises (Strength Training Rehabilitation Incorporating Power Exercises \[STRIPE\]). Individuals with patellofemoral pain, both within the military and general population, present with long-term pain, decreased subjective function, and high recurrence rates. Our primary outcomes are to determine intervention success with self-reported knee pain, measured by the visual analog scale, subjective function, measured by the anterior knee pain scale, and recurrence rates. Recent evidence suggests that two in every three individuals with patellofemoral pain report symptoms up to two years after seeking care, therefore we will assess patellofemoral pain recurrence rates for two years. Additionally, the proposed interventions target gluteal muscle function, supporting our selection of secondary outcome variables. We will assess rate of torque development, as power-based exercises are recommended to improve muscle capacity, of both the targeted gluteus medius and gluteus maximus. We will also assess frontal plane kinematics, as the gluteal muscles are responsible for controlling pelvic and hip motion during functional tasks.

Conditions

• Patellofemoral Pain

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Standard of Care Rehabilitation (SOC)	6 weeks of standard of care rehabilitation will be given designed to target the core, hip, and quadriceps muscles. Each participant will be expected to complete 3 supervised telehealth sessions per week.
BEHAVIORAL	Strength Training Rehabilitation Incorporating Power Exercises (STRIPE)	6 weeks of STRIPE rehabilitation will be given designed to target the core, hip, and quadriceps muscles. Each participant will be expected to complete 3 supervised telehealth sessions per week.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-10-13
• Primary completion: 2026-12-15
• Completion: 2027-09-01
• First posted: 2022-06-03
• Last updated: 2026-04-17

Locations

3 sites across 1 country: United States