Acute Effects of Patellar Tendon Ultrasound on Countermovement Jump Performance

NCT07507695 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: Therapeutic Ultrasound
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 40
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This randomized, double-blind, controlled trial aims to investigate the acute effects of therapeutic ultrasound applied to the patellar tendon on vertical jump performance in healthy university students. Therapeutic ultrasound is widely used in physiotherapy to influence soft tissue properties through thermal and mechanical effects; however, its immediate impact on explosive lower-extremity performance and neuromuscular function remains unclear. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a therapeutic ultrasound group or a sham ultrasound (placebo) group. In the intervention group, therapeutic ultrasound will be applied to the patellar tendon using a frequency of 1 MHz and an intensity of 1.5 W/cm² in continuous mode for 5 minutes. In the control group, a sham ultrasound procedure will be performed using the same device and duration without delivering therapeutic energy. Both the participants and the outcome assessor will be blinded to group allocation. Vertical jump performance will be evaluated using the countermovement jump (CMJ) test recorded with the My Jump 2 smartphone application. In addition, quadriceps muscle strength will be measured using a hand-held dynamometer, and knee joint position sense will be assessed using a joint position reproduction test. All measurements will be conducted before and immediately after the intervention. This study will provide evidence regarding whether therapeutic ultrasound applied to the patellar tendon can acutely influence explosive performance, muscle strength, and proprioception in healthy individuals.

Conditions

Muscle Performance

Keywords

Therapeutic Ultrasound; Patellar Tendon; Countermovement Jump; Acute Effect; Performance

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Countermovement Jump Height

  Vertical jump performance will be assessed using the countermovement jump (CMJ) test recorded with the My Jump 2 smartphone application. Participants will perform three maximal jumps with their hands placed on their hips to eliminate arm swing, and the highest jump height (cm) will be used for analysis.

  Immediately before and immediately after the intervention (within 1 minute following the ultrasound or sham ultrasound application)

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Knee Joint Position Sense

  Immediately before and immediately after the intervention

• Quadriceps Muscle Strength

  Immediately before and immediately after the intervention

Study Arms (2)

Ultrasound Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The use of therapeutic ultrasound in healthy individuals

Other: therapeutic ultrasound Group

sham Group

SHAM COMPARATOR

Use of sham ultrasound in healthy individuals

Other: therapeutic ultrasound Group

Interventions

therapeutic ultrasound Group OTHER

The use of therapeutic ultrasound on the patellar tendon in healthy individuals.

Ultrasound Group; sham Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Healthy university students aged 18-35 years
• No history of lower extremity injury or surgery in the past 12 months
• No current musculoskeletal or neurological disorders affecting the lower limbs

You may not qualify if:

• History of patellar tendon injury or knee pain
• Contraindications to therapeutic ultrasound (e.g., skin lesions, open wounds at the knee, or implanted electronic devices)
• Any cardiovascular, neurological, or musculoskeletal condition that may affect jump performance
• Use of medications that could affect neuromuscular function (e.g., muscle relaxants)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Muş Alparslan University: lead

Study Officials

• Cengiz TAŞKAYA

  Muş Alparslan University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Burhan TAŞKAYA

  Muş Alparslan University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Cengiz TAŞKAYA

CONTACT

05364811882; c.taskaya@alparslan.edu.tr

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 27, 2026
• First Posted: April 2, 2026
• Study Start: April 20, 2026
• Primary Completion: April 27, 2026
• Study Completion: May 1, 2026
• Last Updated: April 2, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03