Assessing Impact of Myofascial Release Versus Dry Needling for Chondromalacia in Adult Females (females)

Assessing Impact of Myofascial Release Versus Dry Needling for Chondromalacia in Adult Females: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Assessing Impact of Myofascial Release versus Dry Needling for Chondromalacia in Adult females. The study employed a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) design.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Chondromalacia
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Dry Needling; Other: (traditional exercises); Other: myofascial release

Detailed Description

A total of 45 female patients diagnosed with chondromalacia and confirmed by physical examination using a patellar grind test to confirm Clarke's sign were recruited for this study from the out patient clinic and Soad Kafafi's educational hospital , Investigations that analyzed the H/Q ratio by the use of gravity corrected isokinetic strength testing.

Inclusion criteria were:

• Age between 18-50 years old, the anterior knee pain recorded while one of the following activities at least :ascending and descending stairs, prolonged sitting and kneeling.
• Subject experiences pain during palpation of patellar facets or while performing a 25-cm step down test or double legged squat.
• Exclusion criteria included meniscal or intra-articular pathological conditions, cruciate or collateral ligaments involvement, tenderness over the patellar tendon .
• These participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups, each consisting of 15 patients all received treatment for 3 weeks, 2 sessions per weak.

Group 1: Received dry needling combined with traditional treatment( straight leg raising and isometric quadriceps exercises) for 3 weeks, 2 sessions per weak.

Group 2: Received myofascial release in addition to traditional treatment for 3 weeks, 2 sessions per week. Evaluation of fascial restriction was assessed using the therapists elbow.

Myofascial chain release:

Position of the patient: Supine lying, prone lying and side lying Position of the therapist: Side of the patient limb to be treated

-Technique: Using the therapist elbow a vertical release proximal to the attachment of the muscle belly or fascia was applied. Once an end-feel was reached a slow stroke down the length of the target tissue was performed along with monitoring the indirect feedback and tissue tension to identify any additional restrictions. The long stroke was repeated in a line parallel to the first stroke. It was continued until an end-feel is reached throughout the entire muscle belly or fascia on the most restricted/ painful points.

Traditional Treatment ( exercise) : Applied uniformly across all groups, comprising straight leg raising and isometric quadriceps exercises (2 days per week).

Group 3: Received only the traditional treatment only for 3 weeks, 2 sessions per weak.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 45
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Egypt
  • Cairo, Egypt
    • Masr university for sceince and technology

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age between 18-50 years old, the anterior knee pain recorded while one of the following activities at least :ascending and descending stairs, prolonged sitting and kneeling.
• Subject experiences pain during palpation of patellar facets or while performing a 25-cm step down test or double legged squat. (Iiona, 2020)

Exclusion Criteria:

• excluded meniscal or intra-articular pathological conditions, cruciate or collateral ligaments involvement, tenderness over the patellar tendon .
• These participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups, each consisting of 15 patients all received treatment for 3 weaks, 2 sessions per weak.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: group 1:adding dry needle to traditional exercises; Received dry needling combined with traditional treatment( straight leg raising and isometric quadriceps exercises) for 3 weeks, 2 sessions per weak.	Other: Dry Needling; dry needles Administered to patients in Group 1 as part of their treatment regimen( 2 days per week).; Other: (traditional exercises); comprising straight leg raising and isometric quadriceps exercises (2 days per week).
Experimental: group 2: adding myofascial release to traditional exercises; Myofascial Release: Provided to patients in Group 2 along with traditional treatment( 2 days per week).Evaluation of fascial restriction was assessed using the therapists elbow. Any restrictions felt were assessed and given treatment.	Other: (traditional exercises); comprising straight leg raising and isometric quadriceps exercises (2 days per week).; Other: myofascial release; Myofascial Release: Provided to patients in Group 2 along with traditional treatment( 2 days per week). Evaluation of fascial restriction was assessed using the therapists elbow. Any restrictions felt were assessed and given treatment.Myofascial chain release- Position of the patient- Supine lying, prone lying and side lying Position of the therapist- Side of the patient limb to be treated - Technique-Using the therapist elbow a vertical release proximal to the attachment of the muscle belly or fascia was applied. Once an end-feel was reached a slow stroke down the length of the target tissue was performed along with monitoring the indirect feedback and tissue tension to identify any additional restrictions. The long stroke was repeated in a line parallel to the first stroke. It was continued until an end-feel is reached throughout the entire muscle belly or fascia on the most restricted/ painful points.
Active Comparator: group 3: (control group): Applied Traditional exercise; Traditional Treatment ( exercise) : Applied uniformly across all groups, comprising straight leg raising and isometric quadriceps exercises (2 days per week).	Other: (traditional exercises); comprising straight leg raising and isometric quadriceps exercises (2 days per week).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The isokinetic muscle strength	Peak Torque (PT): Measured using the isokinetic dynamometer system to assess the strength of the muscles.; AGO/ANT Ratio: Evaluated using the isokinetic dynamometer system to examine the balance between agonist and antagonist muscle groups.	3 weeks
pain intensity by visual analogue scale.	Visual Analogue Scale (VAS): Utilized to measure the intensity of pain experienced by the patients.	3 Weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Quality of Life physical and mental states	Quality of Life Scale Questionnaire (QLS): Administered to assess both the physical and mental status of the patients.	3 Weeks
Activity and functional levels of Lower Extremity	Lower Extremity Scale Questionnaire (LES): Used to evaluate the activity levels and functionality of the patients' lower extremities.	3 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Badr University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Doaa S Mohamed, lecturer, lecturer physical therapy for women health Badr University at Cairo

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 1, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): May 15, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 28, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 17, 2025
• First Posted (Estimated): May 20, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): May 20, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 17, 2025
• Last Verified: May 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: chondromalacia,females, myofascial release, and dry needles
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Musculoskeletal Diseases; Connective Tissue Diseases; Cartilage Diseases
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB00014233-6

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No