Popliteus Muscle Release Versus Kinesio Taping

Popliteus Muscle Release Versus Kinesio Taping on Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

The aim of the current study is to compare the effect of popliteus muscle release and Kinesio taping on pain intensity, function, dynamic balance, and quadriceps muscle strength in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Traditional Physical Therapy Treatment; Other: Popliteus Muscle Release; Other: Kinesio Taping

Detailed Description

Patellofemoral pain syndrome has been described as one of the most perplexing and clinically challenging chronic disorders.

Symptoms usually include diffuse pain originating from the anterior aspect of the patella and commonly along the medial aspect of the knee. It therefore limits daily activities that need loading on a flexed knee. There is a high incidence, especially among runners, with patellofemoral pain syndrome accounting for 46% of running-related injuries. However, the etiology of this disorder remains vague and controversial. This is reflected in the lack of consensus on how patellofemoral pain syndrome should be treated clinically. Patellofemoral pain syndrome participants have demonstrated abnormal gait patterns with decreased stance phase knee flexion, decreased walking velocity, and decreased muscle activity of the quadriceps musculature. Restoration of normal gait kinematics may be an important component of improving function.

The soft tissue manipulation decreased knee pain and improved muscle activity. Therefore, incorporating popliteus manipulation can be effective in the treatment of anterior knee pain.

Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses of Kinesio Taping treatment in different knee or musculoskeletal problems have been published in recent years. The support taping could reduce pain as an adjunct to traditional exercise therapy in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome.

Kinesio Taping has a significant effect on pain reduction, motor function improvement, and muscle activity change.

So, the current study will help to determine the effect of myofascial release and Kinesio Taping of the popliteus muscle on patellofemoral pain syndrome.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 48
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Hafsa He Abdullah, MSc; Phone Number: 01007069080; Email: Hafsahesham55@gmail.com

Study Locations

• Egypt
  • Cairo, Egypt
    • Recruiting
    • Cairo

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients of both genders with an age range of 18-30 years old.
• minimum 3-month history of patellofemoral pain.
• a pain score for worst pain intensity during the previous week of 3 or more on a Visual Analog Scale (0-10, most pain).
• reproduced by at least two of the following activities: Stair ascent or descent, hopping, running, prolonged sitting, squatting, or kneeling and present on at least one of the following clinical tests: Compression of the patella or palpation of the patellar facets.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Clinical, x-ray, or MRI findings indicative of other specific pathology, including osteoarthritis, meniscal, ligament, or cartilage injury, or apophysitis.
• recurrent patellar subluxation or dislocation.
• cortisone use over an extended period of time.
• previous surgery to the knee joint; trauma to the knee joint affecting the presenting clinical condition.
• physiotherapy or other similar exercises for patellofemoral pain syndrome within the previous 3 months.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Control Group; The control group will receive traditional physical therapy treatment at the painful anterior knee, which includes quadriceps strength, hip abduction strength, hip extension strength, hamstring stretch, and gait training.	Other: Traditional Physical Therapy Treatment; Quadriceps strength, hip abduction strength, hip extension strength, hamstring stretch, gait training
Active Comparator: Study Group 1; Study group 1 will receive traditional treatment as the control group plus release to the popliteus muscle.	Other: Traditional Physical Therapy Treatment; Quadriceps strength, hip abduction strength, hip extension strength, hamstring stretch, gait training; Other: Popliteus Muscle Release; Myofascial release for the popliteus muscle
Active Comparator: Study Group 2; Study group 2 will receive traditional treatment as the control group plus Kinesio tape on the popliteus muscle.	Other: Traditional Physical Therapy Treatment; Quadriceps strength, hip abduction strength, hip extension strength, hamstring stretch, gait training; Other: Kinesio Taping; Kinesio tape on the popliteus muscle

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Balance	by Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT)	It will be assessed at baseline and after 4 weeks.
Pain intensity	by visual analogue scale The visual analogue scale represents the pain range that a patient thinks they might experience. The line is typically 10 centimeters long, with anchor descriptors such as (in the pain context) "no pain" and "worst pain imaginable." The patient makes a mark reflecting his or her perception, and the distance from the left endpoint to the mark is measured in centimeters. Higher scores represent worse pain.	It will be assessed at baseline and after 4 weeks.
Knee Function	by kujala scale The Arabic Kujala Patellofemoral Disorder scale, also called the anterior knee pain scale, is composed of 13 multiple-choice questions, each contributing to a total score ranging from 0 to 100. A higher score indicates better knee function and less pain, while a lower score reflects greater pain and disability.	It will be assessed at baseline and after 4 weeks.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Quadriceps Strength	by handheld dynamometer	It will be assessed at baseline and after 4 weeks.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Cairo University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Hafsa He Abdullah, MSc, Cairo University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 10, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 5, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 5, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): December 18, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 28, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 24, 2026
• Last Verified: January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Musculoskeletal Diseases; Joint Diseases; Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
• Other Study ID Numbers: 012/005805

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