Is manual therapy for stiff knees using lessons learned from 4D motion analysis more effective than traditional manual therapy?

• Register: ANZCTR
• Last refreshed on: 15 July 2019
• Main ID: ACTRN12618000230257
• Date of registration: 12/02/2018
• Prospective Registration: Yes
• Primary sponsor: University of Canberra
• Public title: Is manual therapy for stiff knees using lessons learned from 4D motion analysis more effective than traditional manual therapy?
• Scientific title: Effect of PosteroAnterior versus AnteroPosterior manual therapy mobilisation on range of movement in stiff knees. A pilot study for a randomised controlled trial.
• Date of first enrolment: 06/05/2018
• Target sample size: 40
• Recruitment status: Completed
• URL: https://anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12618000230257.aspx
• Study type: Interventional
• Study design: Purpose: Treatment; Allocation: Randomised controlled trial; Masking: Blinded (masking used);Assignment: Parallel;Type of endpoint: Efficacy;
• Phase: Not Applicable

Countries of recruitment

Australia

Contacts

• Name: Prof Jennie Scarvell

• Name: Prof Jennie Scarvell

Key inclusion & exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: - Individuals with restricted knee flexion ROM
- Aged >18
- Stiffness duration of at least 7 days

Exclusion criteria: - Knee pain > 8/10 on Numeric Rating Scale
- Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
- Anxiety related to manual therapy
- Total Knee Replacement on the affected side
- Inflammatory Arthritis
- Anterior or posterior cruciate ligament graft surgery.
- Knee reconstruction or previous ligament rupture on the affected side
- Acute locked meniscus
- Initiation of opioid analgaesia or corticosteroid injection within the past 7 days.


Age minimum: 18 Years
Age maximum: No limit
Gender: Both males and females

Health Condition(s) or Problem(s) studied

Physical Medicine / Rehabilitation - Physiotherapy

Musculoskeletal - Osteoarthritis

Stiff Knees;
Stiff Knees

Musculoskeletal - Other muscular and skeletal disorders

Intervention(s)

Knee Mobilization to increase knee flexion ROM. Grade 3 Posterior-Anterior (PA) joint glide with medial rotation performed on stiff knee performed at a dosage of 3 x 30 oscillations. Participants will undergo 4 face-to-face physiotherapy treatment sessions (1 x 1 hour and 1 x 30 minutes during the first week, and 2 x 30 minutes during the second week). This intervention will be delivered by either a registered physiotherapist or a student physiotherapist under the supervision of a registered physiotherapist.

Participants will also be given a home exercise program of a self-mobilization in the direction of treatment (PA). This will will be performed with the patient in supine, a towel roll positioned in the knee crease and a towel around the ankle, pulling the knee into maximal passive flexion and oscillating for 10 seconds. Participants will be asked to perform this 2o times, twice a day and will be asked to complete a logbook to assess adherence to the home exercise program.

Primary Outcome(s)

Knee flexion range of motion (ROM) using a digital goniometer (Dualler IQ, JTech medical, Utah). [Measure before and after each treatment.]

Secondary Outcome(s)

Patient perceived function using the Patient Specific Functional Scale (PSFS).[Before the initial treatment and after the final treatment.]

Patient perceived function and knee-related quality of life using the Knee Specific Outcome Score (KOOS). [Before the initial treatment and after the final treatment.]

Knee pain rated using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS).[Before and after each treatment]

Secondary ID(s)

Nil known

Source(s) of Monetary Support

University of Canberra

Secondary Sponsor(s)

Southside Physiotherapy

Ethics review

Status: Approved
Approval date:
Contact:

Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of Canberra

Results

• Results available: Yes
• Date Posted: 28/05/2019
• Date Completed: 30/08/2018