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Effects of Mulligan Technique With or Without Diclofenac Phonophoresis on Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome.

Effects of Mulligan Technique With or Without Diclofenac Phonophoresis on Pain, Range of Motion and Functional Disability of Knee Joint in Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 1Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06439251
Enrollment
68
Registered
2024-06-03
Start date
2023-10-18
Completion date
2025-07-20
Last updated
2025-08-08

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

Conditions

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Keywords

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome,, Mulligan mobilization, Phonophoresis, diclofenac

Brief summary

The patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a common cause for anterior knee pain and mainly affects young women. the effectiveness of Mulligan technique with or without diclofenac phonophoresis on pain, range of motion and functional disability of knee joint in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome is known little. This study, ethically approved, focused on patients with anterior knee pain referred to the Physical Therapy Department from Lahore General Hospital. After eligibility assessments and consent, participants were randomly assigned to Group A (Experimental) or Group B (Control). Over four weeks, three sessions per week, routine physiotherapy and specific exercises will be administered, with Group A receiving additional Phonophoresis using ultrasound and diclofenac gel. Outcome variables (Numeric Pain Rating Scale, KOOS-PF, Universal Goniometer) will be assessed by a blinded assessor at baseline and study completion.

Detailed description

Background: The patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a common cause for anterior knee pain and mainly affects young women without any structural changes such as increased Q-angle or significant pathological changes in articular cartilage. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of Mulligan technique with or without diclofenac phonopheresis on pain, range of motion and functional disability of knee joint in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome. Methodology: This study, ethically approved, focused on patients with anterior knee pain referred to the Physical Therapy Department from Lahore General Hospital. After eligibility assessments and consent, participants were randomly assigned to Group A (Experimental) or Group B (Control). Over four weeks, three sessions per week, routine physiotherapy and specific exercises were administered, with Group A receiving additional Phonophoresis using ultrasound and diclofenac gel. Outcome variables (Numeric Pain Rating Scale, KOOS-PF, Universal Goniometer) were assessed by a blinded assessor at baseline and study completion.

Interventions

COMBINATION_PRODUCTGroup 1

The treatment included TENS therapy, hot pack application, stretching exercises, isometric strengthening, straight leg raises with traction, and tibial gliding techniques. Participants in Group A also received Phonophoresis as an experimental technique.

COMBINATION_PRODUCTGroup 2

The treatment included routine physiotherapy with TENS, hot pack application, stretching exercises, isometric strengthening, straight leg raises with traction, and tibial gliding techniques.

Sponsors

University of Lahore
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
20 Years to 45 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* • Patients of age range 20-45 years and both genders (Rehman, 2021 #171) * Unilateral anterior knee pain persisting for over two months, referred by orthopedic (Rehman, 2021 #171) * Pain scoring rate on numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) \>3 during at least two activities (Rehman, 2021 #171) * Patients with positive Clarke's test/ Patellar grind test (Rehman, 2021 #171) * Pain while going up and down stairs, when sitting with knees flexed and with squatting, kneeling or returning from squat. (Powers, 2017 #172)

Exclusion criteria

* • Patients with other knee pathologies; meniscus tears, bursitis, patellar tendon injury, ligamentous injury * Degenerative joint disorders; knee osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis etc. * Patellofemoral dislocation and / or frequent subluxation. * Patients having undergone lower extremity surgery * Those taking any pain medications

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Numeric Pain Rating Scale4 weeksThe Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) is a subjective measure in which individuals rate their pain on an eleven-point numerical scale. The scale is composed of 0 (no pain at all) to 10 (worst imaginable pain).
KOOS-PF Scale4 weeksKOOS-PF is a subscale of the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) that specifically measures symptoms and function related to patellofemoral pain and osteoarthritis. It was developed to provide a more detailed assessment in this specific knee condition. The score is a percentage score from 0 to 100, 0 representing extreme problems and 100 representing no problems. This direction, 100 indicating no problems.
Universal Goniometer4 weeksIt has a scale for the measurement of the angle. The scale can extend from 0 to 180 degrees for half-circle models or 0 to 360 degrees for full-circle models.

Countries

Pakistan

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026