Laser Acupuncture on Pain, Range of Motion and Function in Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

NCT06610981 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: IRB Approval No. 2024-82
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is among the most prevalent forms of knee discomfort. The main complaint is typically anterior knee pain, which gets worse while jumping, bending knee, going up or down stairs, or sitting for long periods of time with bent knee. Teens and early adulthood are commonly affected by patellofemoral pain syndrome, with a higher frequency in females. In healthy general populations, the prevalence of patellofemoral pain syndrome is 22.7%, and in teens, it is 28.9%.

Conditions

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Keywords

laser acuouncture; function; pain; range of motion

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Visual analogue scale

  The visual analogue scale represents the pain range that a patient thinks they might experience. The line is typically 10 centimetres long, with or without markings at each centimetre serves as a representation of the range. The worst pain the patient could possibly envision is represented by one end, while; no pain; is represented by the other. The patient marks the scale by drawing a line on it to indicate the amount of discomfort they are experiencing from 0-10. Higher scores represent worse pain.

  4 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Range of motion for knee flexion

  4 weeks

• Function of knee joint

  4 weeks

• Range of motion for knee extension

  4 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Group A (Laser acupuncture group)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive Laser acupuncture with energy of 4 J per point for 80 s, with a total dosage of 24 J in each session, 2 times /week for 4 weeks. Additionally, traditional physical therapy program will be conducted to participants in the study group.

Device: Laser acupuncture; Other: traditional physical therapy

Group B (Sham-laser acupuncture group)

SHAM COMPARATOR

Participants will receive the same intervention while the device turned off, in addition to the exercise program consisted of stretching for hamstring, gastrocnemius and iliotibial band, and strengthening exercises, which include isometric quadriceps exercises, straight leg raising, lateral straight leg raise, isometric hip adduction and squat to 30° knee flexion, 2 times /week for 4 weeks.

Other: traditional physical therapy; Device: Sham laser acupuncture

Interventions

Laser acupuncture DEVICE

Laser acupuncture will be used in this study with energy of 4 J per point for 80 s, with a total dosage of 24 J in each session, 2 times /week for 4 weeks

Group A (Laser acupuncture group)

traditional physical therapy OTHER

exercise program consisted of stretching for hamstring, gastrocnemius and iliotibial band, and strengthening exercises, which include isometric quadriceps exercises, straight leg raising, lateral straight leg raise, isometric hip adduction and squat to 30° knee flexion, 2 times /week for 4 weeks

Group A (Laser acupuncture group); Group B (Sham-laser acupuncture group)

Sham laser acupuncture DEVICE

Participants will receive laser acupuncture while the device is turned off.

Group B (Sham-laser acupuncture group)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 25 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (positive Clarkes sign and Waldron test)
• Age from 18 to 25 years
• Patients suffering from pain which aggravated by prolonged sitting, stair climbing, running, squatting, kneeling, hopping\\jumping, overuse activities and relieved by rest for at least 3 months
• Visual analog scale (VAS) greater than 3 points in daily activity
• The ability to participate in the study and follow the treatment schedule.

You may not qualify if:

• Physiotherapy in the last 12 months
• Intra-articular injection in the last 3 months
• Other knee disorders such as: (osteoarthritis, previous knee surgery, history of knee arthroplasty, or traumatic injury related joint deformity)
• BMI greater than or equal 30
• Pregnancy
• Pacemaker insertion
• Photosensitivity
• History of using oral analgesic or NSAIDs in the previous 4 weeks,
• History of malignancy, psychiatric disorder, mental retardation, neurologic dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, or uncontrolled hypertension.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Cairo University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Faculty of Physical Therapy

Giza, Giza Governorate, 12111, Egypt

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Allam NM, Alsirhani H, Alruwaili MB, Dosh DM, Alruwaili HM, Almazyad WH, Toson RA, Elimy DA, El-Sherbiny M, Ibrahim AM, Ebrahim HA, Nosseir N, Eladl MA, Ali ZA. Effect of laser acupuncture on pain, range of motion, and function in patellofemoral pain syndrome: a randomised controlled trial. Front Med (Lausanne). 2025 Jul 15;12:1613197. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1613197. eCollection 2025.

  PMID: 40735438 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome; Pain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Joint Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Zeinab Ali Hamada, PhD

  Assisstant professor of physical therapy for surgery, Faculty of physical therapy

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor of physical therapy for surgery, Faculty of physical therapy

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 17, 2024
• First Posted: September 24, 2024
• Study Start: October 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: April 1, 2025
• Study Completion: May 1, 2025
• Last Updated: May 13, 2025

Record last verified: 2024-09

Locations

EG (1)