Patellofemoral Pain, PFP
Conditions
Keywords
Patellofemoral pain, gait retraining, runner
Brief summary
Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is a common overuse injury in runners. Increased patellofemoral joint stress (PFJS) is an important biomechanical factor associated with PFP. Gait retraining, especially cadence modification, may reduce PFJS and improve symptoms, but evidence from randomized controlled trials remains limited. This study investigated whether wearable device-assisted gait retraining was more effective than education alone in reducing pain, improving function, and altering running biomechanics in female runners with PFP.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALGait retraining
The intervention is a wearable device-assisted gait retraining program (home) designed specifically for female runners with patellofemoral pain.
BEHAVIORALEducation
PFP education, load management strategies, symptom-based training modifications, and strengthening exercises
Sponsors
Beijing Sport University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 45 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Female, Age 18-45 years * Unilateral/bilateral anterior knee pain \> 4 weeks * VAS pain ≥ 3/10 during running and ≥ 2 of the following: jumping, squatting, kneeling, stairs, prolonged sitting, or resisted knee extension * Running ≥ 15 km per week * Natural rearfoot striker
Exclusion criteria
* Acute trauma, history of patellar dislocation, meniscal/chondral lesions * Prior knee surgery or injection in past 12 months * Rheumatologic, neurologic, or degenerative disease * Pregnancy
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Analogue Scale for Pain during running | Baseline, Week 6, Week 18 | The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) is a validated, widely used instrument for assessing subjective pain intensity. It consists of a 10-centimeter horizontal line, with one end (0) representing "no pain" and the other end (10) representing "worst imaginable pain." It will be evaluated during running. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Analogue Scale for usual pain | Baseline, Week 6, Week 18 | The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) is a validated, widely used instrument for assessing subjective pain intensity. It consists of a 10-centimeter horizontal line, with one end (0) representing "no pain" and the other end (10) representing "worst imaginable pain." It will be evaluated for usual pain. |
| Anterior Knee Pain Scale | Baseline, Week 6, Week 18 | The Anterior Knee Pain Scale (AKPS), also referred to as the Kujala Score, is a patient-reported outcome measure designed to evaluate symptoms and functional limitations associated with anterior knee pain and patellofemoral disorders. It consists of 13 items covering domains such as pain during various activities (e.g., walking, running, jumping, climbing stairs, squatting), functional limitations, abnormal gait, muscle atrophy, and difficulty with prolonged sitting. Each item is scored on an ordinal scale, and the total score ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better knee function and fewer symptoms. |
| Knee Flexion Angle | Baseline, Week 6 | Peak knee flexion angle will be assessed during running trials using a 3-dimensional motion capture system. Reflective markers will be placed according to a standard lower-limb biomechanical model. |
| Ground Reaction Force | Baseline, Week 6 | Ground reaction force (GRF) will be measured during overground running using embedded force plates synchronized with motion capture. |
| Visual Analogue Scale for the worst pain | Baseline, Week 6, Week 18 | The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) is a validated, widely used instrument for assessing subjective pain intensity. It consists of a 10-centimeter horizontal line, with one end (0) representing "no pain" and the other end (10) representing "worst imaginable pain." It will be evaluated for the worst pain. |
Countries
China
Contacts
CONTACTHaonan Wang
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORHaonan Wang
Beijing Sport University
Outcome results
None listed