A feasibility study of a novel, task-specific movement training intervention for women with patellofemoral pain.
Gretchen B Salsich, Barbara Yemm, Karen Steger-May and 2 others
PMID 28750548WHAT IT FOUND
Twenty-three young women with knee pain completed a movement-focused program with high adherence.
They reported the treatment was credible and showed improved knee alignment, pain, and function compared to the control period, but this was a feasibility study without a comparison group.
Key findings
01The intervention was feasible: 23 of 25 participants completed the study, attending all 12 sessions, with average self-reported home adherence of 78.6%.
02Participants demonstrated improved hip and knee alignment angles at the second session compared to baseline, showing they could perform the movement correction as prescribed.
03Preliminary efficacy data showed that changes in pain and function during the intervention phase were greater than changes during the control phase.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
This was a feasibility study, not a randomized controlled trial, so it cannot determine if the intervention is superior to other treatments or placebo. There was no comparison group receiving a different active treatment or usual care. The sample was small (n=23 completers) and homogeneous (young, healthy, active women), limiting generalizability to older or less active populations. Adherence to the home program was self-reported and not objectively verified. The study duration was short (12 weeks), so long-term effects are unknown.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the improvements in pain and function as proof that this specific movement training is superior to other treatments. Because there was no control group receiving an alternative intervention, the observed changes could be due to natural history, placebo effects, or simply the passage of time, and the study was designed only to test feasibility.