The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of anti-gravity treadmill training on symptoms and functions in patients with meniscus tears.
Meniscus tears are one of the most common sports-related injuries. Acute trauma-related tears are more common in active young individuals and athletes. Symptoms such as pain, effusion, tenderness at the joint line, locking, and knee dysfunction are observed after injury. It is aimed to provide painless movement, normal knee kinematics, and retaining of muscle strength in rehabilitation process. Anti-gravity treadmills use an inflatable space around the lower extremities and significantly reduce body weight during walking and running. Anti-gravity treadmill training protects the joint and surrounding soft tissues against the negative effects of loading during the post-injury recovery process, and allows the tissues to heal safely. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of anti-gravity treadmill training on symptoms and functions in patients with meniscus tears. Patients will be randomly divided into three groups: Anti-Gravity Treadmill Group, Conventional Treadmill Group, and Control Group. All patients will be included physiotherapy and rehabilitation program for 6 weeks, 2 days a week. While subjects in the Anti-Gravity Treadmill Group will participate to training anti-gravity treadmill walking, subjects in the Conventional Treadmill Group will participate walking program on a standard treadmill. Symptoms and functions will be assessed baseline and after 6-week program.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
48
Patients will participate to anti-gravity treadmill (Alter G) walking program in addition to physiotherapy and rehabilitation program for 6 weeks, 2 days a week.
Patients will participate to walking program on a standard treadmill in addition to physiotherapy and rehabilitation program for 6 weeks, 2 days a week.
Patients will participate to physiotherapy and rehabilitation program for 6 weeks, 2 days a week.
Bezmialem Vakif University
Istanbul, Eyup, Turkey (Türkiye)
RECRUITINGVisual analog scale-pain
Patients will be asked to mark the intensity of the pain they feel on a 10 cm line, where "0" means no pain and "10" means very severe pain.
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks
Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score
The Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) is used to assess symptoms and functional status in knee injuries and osteoarthritis and consists of five dimensions. Each dimension is scored separately and transformed to a scale from 0 to 100. Lower scores from the scale indicate worse pain, symptoms, function, and quality of life.
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks
Dynamic stability
The single leg dynamic stability will be assessed by using Biodex Balance System® (Biodex Medical Systems, Inc. USA). Low values of the stability index indicate better balance and stability.
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks
Single leg-hop test
In the single-leg hop test, the measurement of the landing distance from the starting line is recorded for evaluation.
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks
Western Ontario Meniscal Evaluation Tool
The Western Ontario Meniscal Evaluation Tool (WOMET) is a disease-specific assessment tool used to assess health-related quality of life in patients with meniscus pathology. The least symptomatic score is 0, and the most symptomatic score possible is 1,600. Higher scores indicate a more symptomatic condition.
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks
Kinesiophobia
The Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale will be used to evaluate kinesiophobia. Scores obtained from the scale range from 17 to 68, with higher scores indicating greater severity of kinesiophobia.
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Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks