Health TrialsbyHealthPanel

Modulating Cortical Excitability to Improve Functional Movements in Individuals With Patellofemoral Pain

ConditionPatellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-45
SponsorUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas

About this trial

This study sought to investigate whether modulation of cortical excitability of the gluteal musculature, via tDCS paired with exercise, will reduce the amount the knee caves in during functional tasks in individuals with PFP. The objective is the explore if having tDCS target the area of the brain controlling hip muscles, when paired with exercise, will be more effective in reducing the amount the knee caves in for individuals with PFP versus those who receive exercise alone as their treatment. The aim is to contribute our findings to the growing knowledge in this area in order to help establish the possibility, and feasibility, of its use in clinical settings to strengthen traditional treatments for this patient population.

Eligibility criteria

This trial does not accept healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

are between 18 and 45 years old

have had patellofemoral pain (PFP; kneecap pain) on one side for at least 3 months, and 3) the knee does cave in when performing functional movements.

Disqualifiers

do not have pain coming from the kneecap during screening;

have a history of knee injury or surgery,

have a history of seizures and/or taking anti-seizure medication,

have an implanted device that interacts with electric current,

Trial design

Design model

Crossover

Treatments tested in this trial

  • transcranial direct current stimulator

    Device

    The total amount of participation time per qualified subject will be approximately 150 minutes over two sessions. The participant screening session will take approximately 30 minutes, which is an appropriate amount of time to complete all screening tasks. The tDCS and sham sessions will take approximately a total of 120 minutes over two sessions. The first session will include a screening (30 minutes) to ensure they qualify for the study, followed by a treatment session (60 minutes): including non-invasive brain stimulation combined with hip strengthening exercises and functional movement testing at UNLV Maryland Campus. Subjects will return for a second treatment session (60 minutes) 2 weeks after the first.

Treatment groups

50 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups
Group A: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)Experimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: ShamSham comparator 1 intervention

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

trunk lean angle

Time frame
Baseline and Immediately after intervention
2

knee frontal plane projection angle

Time frame
Baseline and Immediately after intervention
3

hip frontal plane projection angle

Time frame
Baseline and Immediately after intervention
4

dynamic valgus index

Time frame
Baseline and Immediately after intervention

Secondary outcomes

Other outcomes

Sponsors and contacts

Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Lead sponsor

Source ClinicalTrials.gov
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