Researchers in Australia and Britain sought to understand the effects of non-surgical treatments on pain and function in people with patellofemoral pain (PFP). After reviewing the findings from 65 randomized controlled trials they found 6 interventions with positive effects at 3 months in people with PFP. Those interventions include:
- Four interventions that demonstrated short-term primary efficacy:
- knee-targeted exercise therapy for pain (SMD 1.16, 95% CI 0.66, 1.66) and function (SMD 1.19, 95% CI 0.51, 1.88)
- combined interventions for pain (SMD 0.79, 95% CI 0.26, 1.29) and function (SMD 0.98, 95% CI 0.47,1.49),
- foot orthoses for global rating of change (OR 4.31, 95% CI 1.48, 12.56), and
- lower-quadrant manual therapy for pain (SMD 2.30, 95% CI 1.60, 3.00).
Two interventions demonstrated short-term secondary efficacy: Compared to knee-targeted exercise therapy:
- hip-and-knee-targeted exercise therapy for pain (SMD 1.02, 95% CI 0.58,1.46) and function (SMD 1.03, 95% CI 0.61, 1.45),
- and knee-targeted exercise therapy and perineural dextrose injection for pain (SMD 1.34, 95% CI 0.72, 1.95) and function (SMD 1.21, 95% CI 0.60, 1.82).
Source: Neal BS, Bartholomew C, Barton CJ, Morrissey D, Lack SD. Six treatments have positive effects at 3 months for people with patellofemoral pain: a systematic review with meta-analysis. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2022;52(11):750-768. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2022.11359.
