The Immediate Effects of Passive Hip Joint Mobilization on Hip Muscle Strength in Patients With Anterior Knee Pain

Sheffield Hallam University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Anterior Knee Pain Syndrome; Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Treatments: Other: Laying on of Hands; Other: Joint Mobilization

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03771495

G Pflügler 09-18

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of the study is to assess the immediate effects of passive hip joint mobilisation (in comparison to a sham mobilisation) on eccentric hip abductor/external rotator muscle strength on the basis of manual muscle testing with a hand-held-dynamometer within a double-blinded cross-over study design. Patients with anterior knee pain and signs of impaired hip function will be recruited in Vienna and surrounding area, measurements/data collection will be conducted by two experienced physiotherapists in a physiotherapy group practice in 1150 Vienna.

Enrollment: 18 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 60 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• diagnosis: anterior knee pain
• Prescription for physiotherapeutic treatment of anterior knee pain
• signs of functional hip impairment:
• impaired hip kinematics during single leg squat
• reduced passive hip joint mobility in comparison to the other, unaffected side
• manually weak tested hip abductors/external rota-tors in comparison to the other, unaffected side

Exclusion criteria

• intraarticular knee pathology
• preceding trauma/operation of lower extremity on affected side
• spinal disorders associated with low back pain, lumbar referred pain or nerve root irritation
• severe and/or recurring ankle sprains in recent history (significant enough, that it required a period of immobilization)
• other relevant comorbidities such as neurologic/rheumatologic/psychiatric diseases, osteoporosis and malign disorders
• pregnancy

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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18 participants in 2 patient groups

Hip Joint Mobilization

Experimental group

Description:

passive accessory movement on femur in anterior/posterior direction, grade III for four minutes and passive physiological movement of the most restricted hip joint movement, grade III for one minute (without pain), and a verbal education of hypothesized underlying effect mechanisms.

Treatment:

Other: Joint Mobilization

Laying on of Hands

Sham Comparator group

Description:

grade I, very small amplitude without encountering any tissue resistance for five minutes, thus effectively a Laying on of Hands, with a verbal education of hypothesized underlying effect mechanisms.

Treatment:

Other: Laying on of Hands