Home-based exercise program decreased patellofemoral pain, improved function, strength
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Key takeaways:
- An exercise and education program decreased pain, improved function and increased muscle strength for patients with patellofemoral pain.
- Results were compared with patients who received health education alone.
Results showed a home-based exercise and health education intervention decreased pain and improved function and knee muscle strength compared with no exercise for patients with patellofemoral pain.
Researchers analyzed an intervention group of 19 patients with patellofemoral pain (PFP) who received a 6-week tailored home-based exercise program with health education via remote support. They also analyzed a control group of 19 patients with PFP who received health education alone.
According to the study, outcome measures included the anterior knee pain scale, VAS pain scale and muscle strength, which was measured by peak isokinetic torque of the knee muscles. Researchers noted adherence of the intervention group to the exercise program was 93%, while adherence to health education was 89% in the intervention group and 86% in the control group.
At 6-week follow-up, researchers found the intervention group had a greater reduction in worst pain and pain with daily activity compared with patients in the control group. They also found patients in the intervention group had greater improvements in anterior knee pain scale and knee extensor strength compared with the control group.
The intervention group showed a greater worst pain reduction and pain with daily activity than the control group. Similarly, the intervention group had better improvements in anterior knee pain scale and knee extensor strength compared with the control group.
“Reducing pain and improving function are the main goals of PFP rehabilitation,” the researchers wrote in the study. “Home-based exercise and health education is indicated as a feasible option for the management of PFP,” they concluded.
Perspective
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Vicente Sanchis-Alfonso, MD, PhD
This study underscores the importance of online therapies conducted at home, particularly in addressing a prevalent condition in the daily clinical practice of an orthopedic knee surgeon. With an estimated annual prevalence of 23% in the general population, patellofemoral pain often requires conservative treatment, with growing scientific support for exercise as a primary intervention. However, the reliance on traditional physical therapy clinics has led to overcrowding and increased strain on resources. Therefore, freeing up space in physical therapy clinics for other pathologies that do require the physical presence of the patient, together with the low economic cost of home programs, are interesting aspects for a health care system as saturated as it is today. Demonstrating the effectiveness of online home exercises could alleviate this burden, reducing both the strain on physical therapy clinics and the associated economic costs.
The authors of this study sought to assess the impact of a home-based exercise program and health education on individuals with patellofemoral pain, conducting the first clinical trial of its kind. Their findings indicate that this approach resulted in reduced pain, improved functionality and increased knee muscle strength compared to a no-exercise group. While promising, the study needs further validation through a larger sample size and possibly a comparison with a standard treatment group receiving supervision in a physical therapy clinic. Additionally, exploring outcomes and patient adherence in the long-term to this online home therapy would provide valuable insights, especially considering the 6-week duration of this study. This will offer a comprehensive assessment of its enduring effects on patient outcomes and adherence.
In summary, this research highlights the potential of home-based therapeutic exercise programs to transform the landscape of patellofemoral pain management, with implications for health care resource optimization and improved patient outcomes.
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