Shock wave therapy fails to boost knee pain relief in small trial

NCT ID NCT07273110

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: Uğur Can Yalaki Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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

Summary

This study tested whether adding shock wave therapy to a home exercise program could reduce knee pain and improve function in adults with patellofemoral pain syndrome (a common cause of front knee pain). Thirty-six people aged 18–45 were split into three groups: exercise only, shock waves only, or both. All groups improved over eight weeks, but the shock wave therapy did not provide extra benefit beyond exercise alone.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) device
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a non-invasive option to ease knee pain and improve function for people with patellofemoral pain syndrome.
What could go wrong: This was a small, early trial with only 36 participants, and it found no added benefit of shock wave therapy over exercise alone. Results may not apply to everyone with knee pain.

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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.

PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN SYNDROME

Contacts and locations

Locations

Bursa Uludağ University Sports Medicine Clinic

Bursa, Nilüfer, 16059, Turkey (Türkiye)

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