Scientists use MRI to uncover muscle secrets behind knee pain

NCT ID NCT01862731

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study looks at how the thigh muscles control the movement of the knee cap in people with long-term knee cap pain. Researchers will use MRI scans to compare knee movement in people with pain and healthy volunteers. In a second session, they will temporarily numb a thigh muscle with an injection to see how that changes knee cap movement and pain. The goal is to better understand the muscle's role in knee pain, not to test a new treatment.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

local anesthetic injection into the thigh muscle

What this could lead to

If successful, this could help explain why some people develop chronic knee cap pain, potentially guiding future treatments.

What could go wrong

This is a small, early-stage observational study with only 35 participants. It is not testing a treatment, so it may not lead directly to any new therapy.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

patellofemoral pain syndrome

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

    Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States