Impact of Hip Activation Compared to Hip Plus Balance Training on the Forward-Step-Down Test

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Effect of a Hip Activation Home Exercise Program (HEP) Compared to a Hip Activation + Single Leg Balance HEP on the Forward Step-Down Test in Healthy Females

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Active, not recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT06298903
• Other study ID #: STUDY00002565
• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: January 12, 2024
• Est. completion date: August 2024

Study information

• Verified date: April 2024
• Source: Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this research is to determine the impact of a hip activation home exercise program (HEP) compared to a hip activation + single leg balance HEP on performance of the Forward-Step-Down Test (FSDT) in healthy females. Participants will be assigned to the control (hip activation HEP only) or experimental (hip activation + single leg balance HEP). Following the pre-test data collection, participants will complete their HEP for 8 weeks. They will return to the lab for post-test measurements.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Enrollment: 34
• Est. completion date: August 2024
• Est. primary completion date: March 25, 2024
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: Female
• Age group: 18 Years to 65 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• first or second year students at the institutions's School of Allied Health Professions
• healthy
• female

Exclusion Criteria:

• participating in another research study
• current knee pain or pathology on the dominant leg
• known diagnosis of vestibular impairment
• known pregnancy

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Intervention

Other:
• Hip Activation
Sidelying hip abduction, side plank with hip abduction, clamshell (hip abduction + external rotation), side plan with clamshell, and quadruped fire hydrant exercises will be performed for 1 minute isometric holds, 2 times per week for 8 weeks.
• Hip activation + Single leg balance
Hip activation HEP: Sidelying hip abduction, side plank with hip abduction, clamshell (hip abduction + external rotation), side plan with clamshell, and quadruped fire hydrant exercises will be performed for 1 minute isometric holds, 2 times per week for 8 weeks. Single leg balance: variety of single leg balance exercises with different upper extremity and lower extremity positions to provide different balance stimuli. Weeks are alternated performing these exercises with eyes open and eyes closed.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	LSUHSC-Shreveport	Shreveport	Louisiana

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (29)

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Cannon J, Weithman BA, Powers CM. Activation training facilitates gluteus maximus recruitment during weight-bearing strengthening exercises. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2022 Apr;63:102643. doi: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2022.102643. Epub 2022 Feb 9. — View Citation

Chan MK, Chow KW, Lai AY, Mak NK, Sze JC, Tsang SM. The effects of therapeutic hip exercise with abdominal core activation on recruitment of the hip muscles. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2017 Jul 21;18(1):313. doi: 10.1186/s12891-017-1674-2. — View Citation

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Distefano LJ, Blackburn JT, Marshall SW, Padua DA. Gluteal muscle activation during common therapeutic exercises. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2009 Jul;39(7):532-40. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2009.2796. — View Citation

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Fisher BE, Southam AC, Kuo YL, Lee YY, Powers CM. Evidence of altered corticomotor excitability following targeted activation of gluteus maximus training in healthy individuals. Neuroreport. 2016 Apr 13;27(6):415-21. doi: 10.1097/WNR.0000000000000556. — View Citation

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Harput G, Ulusoy B, Akmese R, Ergun N. Comparison of muscle activation levels and knee valgus between individuals with medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction and healthy individuals during fatiguing step down task. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 2020 Aug;78:105067. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2020.105067. Epub 2020 Jun 6. — View Citation

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Hopper AJ, Haff EE, Joyce C, Lloyd RS, Haff GG. Neuromuscular Training Improves Lower Extremity Biomechanics Associated with Knee Injury during Landing in 11-13 Year Old Female Netball Athletes: A Randomized Control Study. Front Physiol. 2017 Nov 7;8:883. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00883. eCollection 2017. — View Citation

Hott A, Liavaag S, Juel NG, Brox JI. Study protocol: a randomised controlled trial comparing the long term effects of isolated hip strengthening, quadriceps-based training and free physical activity for patellofemoral pain syndrome (anterior knee pain). BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2015 Feb 25;16:40. doi: 10.1186/s12891-015-0493-6. — View Citation

Khayambashi K, Fallah A, Movahedi A, Bagwell J, Powers C. Posterolateral hip muscle strengthening versus quadriceps strengthening for patellofemoral pain: a comparative control trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2014 May;95(5):900-7. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2013.12.022. Epub 2014 Jan 16. — View Citation

Khayambashi K, Mohammadkhani Z, Ghaznavi K, Lyle MA, Powers CM. The effects of isolated hip abductor and external rotator muscle strengthening on pain, health status, and hip strength in females with patellofemoral pain: a randomized controlled trial. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2012 Jan;42(1):22-9. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2012.3704. Epub 2011 Oct 25. — View Citation

Konrad P. The ABC of EMG: A Practical Introduction to Kinesiological Electromyography.

Lee SP, Powers CM. Individuals with diminished hip abductor muscle strength exhibit altered ankle biomechanics and neuromuscular activation during unipedal balance tasks. Gait Posture. 2014 Mar;39(3):933-8. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2013.12.004. Epub 2013 Dec 12. Erratum In: Gait Posture. 2014 May;40(1):278. — View Citation

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McCallister E, Flowers DW. Can the Forward-Step-Down Test Be Used Reliably in the Clinical Setting to Assess Movement Changes Resulting from Maximal Exertion? A Pilot Study. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. 2020 Jan 01;18(4), Article 7. doi: 10.46743/1540-580X/2020.1931

McGovern RP, Martin RL, Christoforetti JJ, Kivlan BR. EVIDENCE-BASED PROCEDURES FOR PERFORMING THE SINGLE LEG SQUAT AND STEP-DOWN TESTS IN EVALUATION OF NON-ARTHRITIC HIP PAIN: A LITERATURE REVIEW. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2018 Jun;13(3):526-536. — View Citation

Rinaldi VG, Prill R, Jahnke S, Zaffagnini S, Becker R. The influence of gluteal muscle strength deficits on dynamic knee valgus: a scoping review. J Exp Orthop. 2022 Aug 17;9(1):81. doi: 10.1186/s40634-022-00513-8. — View Citation

Rothermel S, Hale S, Hertel J, Denegar C. Effect of active foot positioning on the outcome of a balance training program. Physical Therapy in Sport. 2004. 5:2 (98-103). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ptsp.2004.02.002.

Selkowitz DM, Beneck GJ, Powers CM. Comparison of Electromyographic Activity of the Superior and Inferior Portions of the Gluteus Maximus Muscle During Common Therapeutic Exercises. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2016 Sep;46(9):794-9. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2016.6493. Epub 2016 Aug 5. — View Citation

Selkowitz DM, Beneck GJ, Powers CM. Which exercises target the gluteal muscles while minimizing activation of the tensor fascia lata? Electromyographic assessment using fine-wire electrodes. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2013 Feb;43(2):54-64. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2013.4116. Epub 2012 Nov 16. — View Citation

Springer BA, Marin R, Cyhan T, Roberts H, Gill NW. Normative values for the unipedal stance test with eyes open and closed. J Geriatr Phys Ther. 2007;30(1):8-15. doi: 10.1519/00139143-200704000-00003. — View Citation

van Melick N, Meddeler BM, Hoogeboom TJ, Nijhuis-van der Sanden MWG, van Cingel REH. How to determine leg dominance: The agreement between self-reported and observed performance in healthy adults. PLoS One. 2017 Dec 29;12(12):e0189876. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189876. eCollection 2017. — View Citation

Wilczynski B, Zorena K, Slezak D. Dynamic Knee Valgus in Single-Leg Movement Tasks. Potentially Modifiable Factors and Exercise Training Options. A Literature Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Nov 6;17(21):8208. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17218208. — View Citation

* Note: There are 29 references in all — Click here to view all references

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Forward-Step-Down Test	a step-down task that is performed off a 20 cm box. Five repetitions are performed to give one score (minimum score 0, maximum score 6). A higher score is worse.	pre-intervention (baseline), post-intervention (8 weeks)
Secondary	surface electromyography (sEMG) peak	The peak sEMG will be collected from the dominant side's gluteus maximum and gluteus medius muscles. The sEMG will be collected during both the FSDT and unipedal stance test	pre-intervention (baseline), post-intervention (8 weeks)
Secondary	surface electromyography (sEMG) mean	The mean sEMG will be collected from the dominant side's gluteus maximum and gluteus medius muscles. The sEMG will be collected during both the FSDT and unipedal stance test	pre-intervention (baseline), post-intervention (8 weeks)
Secondary	Unipedal Stance Test (UPST)	The time a participant can stand on one leg will be collected for eyes open and eyes closed conditions.	pre-intervention (baseline), post-intervention (8 weeks)
Secondary	Dose-Response	The dose-response for outcome 1, 2, and 3 will be calculated, using participant's self-reported exercise compliance as the dose.	post-intervention (8 weeks)