Which knee exercise works best for anterior knee pain? new study aims to find out
NCT ID NCT07562425
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Aug 12, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This study compares three types of knee-strengthening exercises (isometric, isotonic, and eccentric) in 90 adults aged 18-40 with patellofemoral pain syndrome. Participants will do their assigned exercises three times a week for 8 weeks, alongside standard physiotherapy. Researchers will measure changes in pain, function, and muscle structure using ultrasound and performance tests.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Exercise (isometric, isotonic, or eccentric vastus medialis oblique strengthening)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this study could show which type of knee exercise best reduces pain and improves daily function for people with anterior knee pain.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 90 participants. Results may not apply to everyone with knee pain, and exercise benefits can vary widely.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 90 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Aug 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Nov 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 50 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Aged between 18 and 40 years * Clinically diagnosed with patellofemoral pain syndrome * Presence of anterior knee pain for at least 3 months * Pain during activities such as stair climbing, squatting, running, or prolonged sitting * Pain intensity of at least 3/10 on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) * Willingness to participate and provide written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * History of knee trauma or surgery * Meniscal injury, ligament injury, or knee instability * Advanced osteoarthritis * Neurological disorders * Rheumatologic diseases * Participation in a structured knee rehabilitation program within the last 6 months * Pregnancy
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Firat University
RECRUITINGElâzığ, MErkez, 23200, Turkey (Türkiye)
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Which exercise retrains the knee best? a Head-to-Head test
- Hip and foot moves may ease stubborn knee pain — a trial puts the theory to the test