Electroacupuncture for Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Comparison of Electroacupuncture and Sham Acupuncture on Pain and Function of Patients with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Phase 2

Study type

Interventional

Source

IRCT

Registry ID

IRCT201701242445N4

Enrollment

Registered

2017-04-06

Start date

2015-02-01

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2018-02-22

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome. Patellofemoral disorders

Interventions

Intervention 1: Electroacupuncture twice weekly for 10 sessions. Intervention 2: Sham electroacupuncture twice weekly for 10 sessions.

Treatment - Other

Placebo

Electroacupuncture twice weekly for 10 sessions

Sham electroacupuncture twice weekly for 10 sessions

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

17 Years to 35 Years

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Inclusion criteria: anterior or retropatellar knee pain from at least two of the following: prolonged sitting, stair-climbing, squatting, running, kneeling, and hopping/jumping; insidious onset of symptoms unrelated to a traumatic incident; presence of pain on palpation of the patellar facets, on step down from a 25-cm step, or during a double-legged squat; positive Clarke's test; patella lateral displacement in patellar view radiography; age between 17 and 35 years; disease duration of more than 2 months; irresponsive to at least one month of conservative therapy. Exclusion criteria: previous history of lumbosacral spine; pelvic or lower extremity surgery; history of severe knee trauma within the past 6 months; minor knee trauma within previous 2 months; symptoms of meniscal or other intraarticular pathologic conditions; evidence of a knee joint effusion or hip or lumbar referred pain; history of patellar dislocation; steroids consumption at time of inclusion; coagulopathies; systemic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus and dermatitis; presence of scar at the site of acupuncture; needle phobia; pregnancy

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria:

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Pain. Timepoint: Baseline and 1, 3, 6 months after the intervention. Method of measurement: Visual Analogue Scale.;Function. Timepoint: Baseline and 1, 3, 6 months after the intervention. Method of measurement: Anterior Knee Pain Scale (AKPS).	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Complications. Timepoint: Baseline and 1, 3, 6 months after the intervention. Method of measurement: Evaluating in each visit.	—

Countries

Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Contacts

Public ContactHoda Jafari

Isfahan University of Medical Sciences

jhoda77@yahoo.com+98 31 3620 2020

Outcome results

None listed

Source: IRCT (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026