Effect of a Tele-Rehabilitation Exercise Protocol on Pain, Balance, and Function in Females with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Document Type : Original Research

Authors
F. Livani 1
S. Boozari 2
1 Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran, fatemeh_livani@modares.ac.ir, ORCID ID: 0009-0005-0228-1015
2 PhD in Physiotherapy, Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran, s.boozari@modares.ac.ir, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-8014-1422
10.22034/IJMPP.10.2.1210
Abstract
Aims: Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a common musculoskeletal condition that limits physical activity due to pain and functional impairments. While exercise therapy is an effective treatment, access to rehabilitation is often hindered by time and financial constraints. Tele-rehabilitation offers a promising alternative by providing remote exercise supervision with professional oversight. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a structured tele-rehabilitation exercise program on pain, balance, and function in females with PFPS.

Method and Materials: Twenty-eight females with PFPS were randomly assigned to a tele-rehabilitation exercise group or control group. The six-week program included targeted hip and knee strengthening and stretching exercises, initially taught in person and subsequently supervised remotely via phone or video calls, with biweekly in-person evaluations. Pain intensity (visual analog scale), balance (Y-balance test), and function (Kujala score) were assessed at baseline and post-intervention.

Findings: The tele-rehabilitation group showed significantly better outcomes than the control group (p ˂ 0.05 for all measured variables). Pain intensity decreased by 80.31% versus 16.25% in the control group. Balance improved in all Y-balance test directions (anterior: 13.51%, posteromedial: 13.75%, posterolateral: 13.25%), and functional scores increased by 27.33%, both with negligible changes in the control group.

Conclusion: A tele-rehabilitation exercise program incorporating remote supervision and periodic in-person assessments is an effective and accessible approach for managing PFPS in females. This hybrid model combines the benefits of real-time monitoring with professional in-person evaluations. The findings support the clinical applicability of tele-rehabilitation in musculoskeletal rehabilitation, particularly for conditions requiring exercise-based management.

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Subjects

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