| CTRI Number |
CTRI/2025/07/090428 [Registered on: 08/07/2025] Trial Registered Prospectively |
| Last Modified On: |
08/07/2025 |
| Post Graduate Thesis |
Yes |
| Type of Trial |
Interventional |
|
Type of Study
|
Physiotherapy (Not Including YOGA) |
| Study Design |
Randomized Factorial Trial |
|
Public Title of Study
|
Effectiveness of 6 weeks reactive neuromuscular training among volleyball players with patellofemoral pain syndrome |
|
Scientific Title of Study
|
Effectiveness of 6 weeks reactive neuromuscular training on pain, symptom severity, lower limb strength and dynamic stability among volleyball players with patellofemoral pain syndrome |
| Trial Acronym |
NIL |
|
Secondary IDs if Any
|
| Secondary ID |
Identifier |
| NIL |
NIL |
|
|
Details of Principal Investigator or overall Trial Coordinator (multi-center study)
|
| Name |
Dhivya Bharathi V |
| Designation |
PG Student |
| Affiliation |
Saveetha Colllege Of Physiotherapy |
| Address |
A5 5th Floor Health Science block, Saveetha college of Physiotherapy, Saveetha Nagar, Thandalam, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
Kancheepuram
TAMIL NADU
6012501
India |
| Phone |
9486527132 |
| Fax |
|
| Email |
dhivyaboopathi18@gmail.com |
|
Details of Contact Person
Scientific Query
|
| Name |
Vinodh Kumar R |
| Designation |
Professor |
| Affiliation |
Saveetha Colllege Of Physiotherapy |
| Address |
A5 5th Floor Health Science block, Saveetha college of Physiotherapy, Saveetha Nagar, Thandalam, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
Kancheepuram
TAMIL NADU
6012501
India |
| Phone |
8760563032 |
| Fax |
|
| Email |
vinodhkumar.scpt@saveetha.com |
|
Details of Contact Person
Public Query
|
| Name |
Vinodh Kumar R |
| Designation |
Professor |
| Affiliation |
Saveetha Colllege Of Physiotherapy |
| Address |
A5 5th Floor Health Science block, Saveetha college of Physiotherapy, Saveetha Nagar, Thandalam, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
TAMIL NADU
6012501
India |
| Phone |
8760563032 |
| Fax |
|
| Email |
vinodhkumar.scpt@saveetha.com |
|
|
Source of Monetary or Material Support
|
| A5 5th Floor Health Science block, Saveetha college of Physiotherapy, Saveetha Nagar, Thandalam, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu 602105 |
|
|
Primary Sponsor
|
| Name |
Dhivya Bharathi V |
| Address |
A5 5th Floor Health Science block, Saveetha college of Physiotherapy, Saveetha Nagar, Thandalam, Kanchipuram 602501, Tamil Nadu |
| Type of Sponsor |
Other [Self] |
|
|
Details of Secondary Sponsor
|
|
|
Countries of Recruitment
|
India |
|
Sites of Study
|
| No of Sites = 1 |
| Name of Principal
Investigator |
Name of Site |
Site Address |
Phone/Fax/Email |
| Dr Dhivya Bharathi V |
Saveetha College of Physiotherapy |
A5 5th Floor Health Science block, Saveetha college of Physiotherapy, Saveetha Nagar, Thandalam, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
Kancheepuram
TAMIL NADU |
09486527132
dhivyaboopathi18@gmail.com |
|
|
Details of Ethics Committee
|
| No of Ethics Committees= 1 |
| Name of Committee |
Approval Status |
| Institutional Scientific Review Board |
Approved |
|
|
Regulatory Clearance Status from DCGI
|
|
|
Health Condition / Problems Studied
|
| Health Type |
Condition |
| Healthy Human Volunteers |
Volleyball players with patellofemoral pain syndrome |
|
|
Intervention / Comparator Agent
|
| Type |
Name |
Details |
| Comparator Agent |
Conventional strength training |
glute bridge, side lying hip abduction, plank, isometric quad hold wall sit, straight leg raise, step ups, single leg stance, wall sit, step downs, eccentric squat hold, glute bridge with weights, side plank, bulgarian split squat, dead bug, squat, step down from higher steps, lateral band walks, mini hops with hurdles, plank with shoulder taps, resisted knee extension, single leg stance with ball toss- Duration 6 weeks- 3 sessions per week |
| Intervention |
Reactive Neuromuscular Training |
glute bridge with resistance band, dead bug, clamshell with resistance band, side lying hip abduction with bands, squat with resistance band, step down with resistance band, single leg balance on foam, plank, split squat with resistance band, monster walk with resistance band, lateral step down with resistance band, double leg jump landing, mini hurdle hops, balance on foam pad with ball toss, plank with leg lifts, pallof press, lateral bound with resistance band, single leg squat, box jumps, approach jumps with controlled landing, ladder drills with cues-Duration 6 weeks- 3 sessions per week |
|
|
Inclusion Criteria
|
| Age From |
18.00 Year(s) |
| Age To |
25.00 Year(s) |
| Gender |
Male |
| Details |
1.Anterior knee pain symptoms of PFPS for at least 3 months.
2.Having pain between 3 to 6 in Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS).
3.Pain reproduced during functional tests, such as squatting, step-down, or patellar compression.
4.Experiencing pain in one of the following clinical tests: apprehension test, patellar comprehension Test and clarkes test
|
|
| ExclusionCriteria |
| Details |
1.History of acute knee trauma (e.g., ligament rupture, meniscal tear, or patellar dislocation).
2.History of knee surgery, bursitis and arthritis.
3.History of patella subluxation or dislocation, anterior or posterior cruciate ligament insufficiency.
4.Participating in other exercise programs or training interventions that may affect the study outcome. |
|
|
Method of Generating Random Sequence
|
Coin toss, Lottery, toss of dice, shuffling cards etc |
|
Method of Concealment
|
Sequentially numbered, sealed, opaque envelopes |
|
Blinding/Masking
|
Participant, Investigator and Outcome Assessor Blinded |
|
Primary Outcome
|
| Outcome |
TimePoints |
| Kujala Anterior Knee Pain Scale |
6 weeks |
|
|
Secondary Outcome
|
| Outcome |
TimePoints |
| Visual Analogue Scale |
6 weeks |
| Y Balance test |
6 weeks |
| Counter movement jump test |
6 weeks |
|
|
Target Sample Size
|
Total Sample Size="60"
Sample Size from India="60"
Final Enrollment numbers achieved (Total)= "Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials"
Final Enrollment numbers achieved (India)="Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials" |
|
Phase of Trial
|
N/A |
|
Date of First Enrollment (India)
|
28/08/2025 |
| Date of Study Completion (India) |
Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials |
| Date of First Enrollment (Global) |
Date Missing |
| Date of Study Completion (Global) |
Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials |
|
Estimated Duration of Trial
|
Years="0"
Months="1"
Days="15" |
|
Recruitment Status of Trial (Global)
|
Not Applicable |
| Recruitment Status of Trial (India) |
Not Yet Recruiting |
|
Publication Details
|
N/A |
|
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement
|
Will individual participant data (IPD) be shared publicly (including data dictionaries)?
Response - NO
|
|
Brief Summary
|
Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is one of the most common overuse injuries affecting athletes, particularly in sports that involve frequent jumping, sprinting, and rapid directional changes, such as volleyball. It is characterized by anterior knee pain, especially during activities like squatting, climbing stairs, or prolonged sitting. The condition often results from imbalances in muscular strength, poor neuromuscular control, and altered lower-limb biomechanics. Volleyball players are especially susceptible to PFPS due to the repetitive nature of high-impact movements such as jumping and landing, which place significant stress on the Patellofemoral joint. If not effectively managed, PFPS can lead to reduced athletic performance, prolonged absence from sport, and chronic pain. Reactive neuromuscular training (RNT) has emerged as a promising intervention that targets proprioception, dynamic joint stability, and muscle activation patterns. Unlike traditional strength training, RNT incorporates functional, sport-specific tasks that aim to correct faulty movement patterns and improve neuromuscular control. Despite growing interest in RNT, limited evidence exists regarding its efficacy specifically for PFPS in volleyball players. This gap highlights the need for targeted research to assess whether a structured 6-week RNT program can reduce pain severity, enhance lower limb strength, and improve dynamic stability in this population. Such findings could have significant implications for injury prevention and performance optimization in sports medicine and athletic training. |