The Video-Based Exercise Programs in Degenerative Meniscus Tears

Investigation of the Efficacy of Video-Based Exercise Programs in Degenerative Meniscus Tears

This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the efficacy of the video-based exercise programs in patients with degenerative meniscus tears.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Knee Pain Swelling; Meniscus Tear; Degenerative Disease
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: The video-based exercise (VBE); Other: The standard exercise (SE); Other: The hybrid exercise (HE)

Detailed Description

To investigate the efficacy of video-based exercise programs, voluntary patients with degenerative meniscus tears aged 40-65 years will be randomly assigned to three groups: the hybrid exercise group (HEG), the video-based exercise (VBE) group, and the standard exercise (SE) group. Interventions will be delivered over 16 sessions (twice a week for 8 weeks). The patients will be assessed at baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention. Pain during activity, at rest, and at night will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Active range of motion will be evaluated using a digital goniometer. Isometric muscle strength will be measured with a handheld dynamometer. The Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) will evaluate functional status and symptoms. The Western Ontario Meniscal Evaluation Tool (WOMET) will assess health-related quality of life. Adherence to the exercise program and the Global Rating of Change Scale will be evaluated.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 81
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Bakırkoy
    • Istanbul, Bakırkoy, Turkey (Türkiye), 34147
      • İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 40 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being aged between 40 and 65 years
• Having the degenerative meniscus tear in at least one knee
• Having body mass index in the range of 18-30 kg/m2
• Feeling the pain that lasts for at least 2 months
• Having grade 1 or grade 2 degenerative meniscal tear diagnosed by an orthopedic specialist according to the MRI results
• Having the activity level is between 1 and 5 according to the Tegner Activity Scale
• Having access to the internet via a computer or smartphone
• Having the ability to read and write Turkish

Exclusion Criteria:

• Having undergone arthroscopic partial meniscectomy surgery due to degenerative meniscal tear
• Participating in a physiotherapy program for degenerative meniscal tear in the last 12 weeks
• Have received steroid injections in the last 6 months
• Accompanying conditions such as injury to the surrounding ligaments, congenital anomaly in the affected knee, coxarthrosis and spinal stenosis
• Presence of any systemic disorder that may affect assessment parameters
• Failure to cooperate with assessments
• Any vision or hearing problem that would prevent them from adapting to the assessment

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: The Video-based exercise (VBE) group; Each subject in the video-based exercise group (only video-based intervention) will receive a treatment protocol consisting of stretching, strengthening, and functional exercises for the knee and hip.	Other: The video-based exercise (VBE); An 8-week exercise program will be implemented as part of the conservative treatment for degenerative meniscal tears. The physiotherapist will prepare an instructional video that provides a detailed explanation and demonstration of each exercise. Patients will watch this video at home and perform the exercises according to the video instructions.
Active Comparator: The standard exercise (SE) group; Each subject in the standard exercise group (only clinic-based intervention) will receive a treatment protocol consisting of stretching, strengthening, and functional exercises for the knee and hip.	Other: The standard exercise (SE); An 8-week exercise program used in conservative treatment of degenerative meniscus tears will be performed. An exercise program will be performed at the clinic.
Experimental: The hybrid exercise (HE) group; Each subject in the hybrid exercise group (video-based and clinical-based interventions) will receive a treatment protocol consisting of stretching, strengthening, and functional exercises for the knee and hip.	Other: The hybrid exercise (HE); An 8-week exercise program will be implemented as part of the conservative treatment for degenerative meniscal tears using a hybrid telerehabilitation model. For the home-based component, the physiotherapist will prepare an instructional video that includes a detailed description and demonstration of each exercise. Patients will watch this video at home and perform the prescribed exercises by following the instructions provided in the video. In addition to the home program, patients will also participate in supervised exercise sessions conducted in the clinical setting.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)	Short-term and long-term symptoms and function will be assessed with the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) that is developed as an extension of the WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index. The score is a percentage score from 0 to 100, 0 representing extreme problems and 100 representing no problems.	Baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)	Pain intensity will be measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS). The participants will be asked to indicate their perceived pain at rest, during activity and at night on the 10 cm line between no pain and terrible pain. The score will be determined by measuring the distance on 10 cm line using a ruler. The higher scores indicate an higher level of pain.	Baseline
Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)	Short-term and long-term symptoms and function will be assessed with the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) that is developed as an extension of the WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index. The score is a percentage score from 0 to 100, 0 representing extreme problems and 100 representing no problems.	At the end of 8-week intervention
Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)	Pain intensity will be measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS). The participants will be asked to indicate their perceived pain at rest, during activity and at night on the 10 cm line between no pain and terrible pain. The score will be determined by measuring the distance on 10 cm line using a ruler. The higher scores indicate an higher level of pain.	After 8-week intervention
Active Range of Motion	Active knee range of motion including flexion and extension will be measured described by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) using a digital goniometer.	Baseline
Active Range of Motion	Active knee range of motion including flexion and extension will be measured described by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) using a digital goniometer.	At the end of 8-week intervention
Muscle Strength	Isometric muscle strength will be measured with a handheld dynamometer for knee flexors and extensors. The process will be repeated three times in each direction, with the average value recorded.	Baseline
Muscle Strength	Isometric muscle strength will be measured with a handheld dynamometer for knee flexors and extensors. The process will be repeated three times in each direction, with the average value recorded.	At the end of the 8-week intervention
Western Ontario Meniscal Evaluation Tool (WOMET)	The health-related quality of life related to degenerative meniscal tear will be used with the WOMET, which is a disease-specific tool designed to evaluate health-related quality of life in patients with meniscal pathology. The WOMET contains sixteen items addressing three domains: nine items addressing physical symptoms; four items addressing disabilities due to sports, recreation, work, and lifestyle; and three items addressing emotions. The best and least symptomatic score is 0, and the highest and most symptomatic score possible is 1600.	Baseline
Western Ontario Meniscal Evaluation Tool (WOMET)	The health-related quality of life related to degenerative meniscal tear will be used with the WOMET, which is a disease-specific tool designed to evaluate health-related quality of life in patients with meniscal pathology. The WOMET contains sixteen items addressing three domains: nine items addressing physical symptoms; four items addressing disabilities due to sports, recreation, work, and lifestyle; and three items addressing emotions. The best and least symptomatic score is 0, and the highest and most symptomatic score possible is 1600.	At the end of the 8-week intervention

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Global Rating of Change	The Global Rating of Change is a single-item self-report measure used to assess the participant's perceived overall change following the intervention. At the end of the 8-week intervention, participants will be asked to rate how their current condition compares to their condition before the treatment.	At the end of 8-week intervention
Adherence to Exercise Programs	Adherence to the video-based exercise program will be monitored using daily participant-completed exercise logs and verified by weekly video submissions demonstrating the performance of selected exercises. The physiotherapist will directly monitor adherence to the clinic-based exercise program.	Throughout the 8-week intervention period

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Tansu Birinci, PhD, PT, Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 1, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 5, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 28, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 28, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): March 4, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): November 21, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 18, 2025
• Last Verified: November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 107

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No