Emovi 3D Knee Assessment Device Intervention for Operational Readiness

Womack Army Medical Center (WAMC)

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome; Patellofemoral Pain

Treatments: Device: Emovi Knee Kinesiography

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT06517056

WAMC.2024.0053

Details and patient eligibility

About

This is a randomized clinical trial investigating the use of the Emovi Knee Kinesiography information in the treatment of anterior knee pain in physical therapy.

Full description

The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of using a 3D medical assessment device versus usual care to help guide clinical decisions about the management of PFP. The objective is to determine if gathering objective biomechanical data from a three-dimensional (3D) motion capture device leads to more precise and optimal care, ultimately improving physical function and other outcomes compared to participants who receive routine care that is not guided by information from this device.

Participants will be recruited from primary care and physical therapy clinics at participating sites. Authorized study personnel will search electronic medical records (Genesis) to identify potential study participants diagnosed with knee pain.

After consent and enrollment, participants will complete baseline measures and then receive a Knee Kinesiography exam. The participant will be entered into the KneeKG system using a unique participant identifier. After the knee kinesiography exam with the KneeKG, participants will be randomized 1:1 into one of two different treatment arms: 1) KneeKG informed care or 2) usual care without any information from the KneeKG.

Knee mechanics during gait is assessed with a Knee Kinesiography exam. The participant will walk for 5 minutes on a commercial treadmill at their comfortable speed. Three-dimensional (3D) knee kinematics are captured on each leg using the KneeKG system (Emovi, Canada). With this validated FDA cleared medical device, there is an accurate quantification of specific knee biomechanical markers during gait in a clinical setting. There will be two 45-second trials to electronically capture the data which is immediately accessible through automatic reports. Biomechanical markers captured include but are not limited to varus/valgus alignment at stance, varus/valgus alignment at heel strike, knee flexion angle at heel strike, total knee excursion in sagittal plane, tibial rotation at heel strike and throughout gait cycle. The entire procedure will take approximately 15-20 minutes. This procedure will occur at baseline and also again at 12 weeks.

Enrollment: 180 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 50 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age 18-50
• Active Duty Service Member stationed at Fort Liberty and Schofield Barracks
• Diagnosis of patellofemoral pain (ICD-10 codes: M25.2 (pain in unspecified knee), M25.561 (pain in right knee), and M25.562 (pain in left knee)

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnancy
• Known to be leaving that duty station within next 3 months
• Concurrent lower limb injuries (examples include but are not limited to ankle sprain or HS strain)
• Previous knee surgery
• History of traumatic knee injury, such as a ligament tear or meniscal tear
• Presence of rheumatoid or neurological disease

Trial design

Primary purpose: Diagnostic

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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180 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention: Knee KG informed physical therapy

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this group will receive care guided by the impairments identified with the KneeKG. The KneeKG exam results in recommended exercises that target the specific biomechanical impairments identified. The exercises and dose given to the participant will be based on what the KneeKG device recommends after the exam. The participant will be seen twice a week for 4 weeks.

Treatment:

Device: Emovi Knee Kinesiography

Control: Standard of care physical therapy

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants in this arm will have their KneeKG data captured, but this information will not be provided to the physical therapist to inform their care. Instead, physical therapists will deliver care as they normally do in routine clinical practice. The participant will be seen twice a week for 4 weeks.