Patellar TendinitisNCT06685302
Addition of Ultrasound-guided Percutaneous Neuromodulation to Ultrasound-guided Percutaneous Electrolysis and Eccentric Exercises in Patellar Tendinopathy.
A study testing US-guided PNM, US-guided PE and EE in people with Patellar Tendinitis and Patella; Tendinitis, run by Universidad de Zaragoza at 1 site in Spain.
Trial summary
Patellar tendinopathy, or "jumper's knee," is a prevalent condition involving patellar tendon degeneration due to structural overuse, common among athletes, particularly males over 18 in sports like volleyball, basketball, or football. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 50 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Patellar Tendinitis, Patella; Tendinitis, Patellar Tendinopathy / Jumpers Knee
- What is being tested?
- US-guided PNM, US-guided PE and EE
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 26 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSpain
- Study dates
- 1 Feb 2025to 27 Dec 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 50 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Aged between 18 and 50 years
- Experiencing localized anterior knee pain at the lower pole of the patella for at least two weeks
- Engaging in any type of sport at least three times per week
- Scoring less than 80 points on the VISA-P questionnaire in its Spanish version
- Having carefully read and signed the study's informed consent form
Who cannot join
- Any contraindication for invasive techniques (such as belonephobia, allergies to materials used, cancer, thrombophlebitis, skin conditions, or febrile states)
- Any lower limb pathology or severe chronic condition (e.g., Osgood-Schlatter syndrome or Sinding-Larsen-Johansson syndrome)
- Pharmacological treatment within the 48 hours prior to the intervention
- Knee surgeries within the past year
- Corticosteroid injections within the previous 3 months
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Effect of Adding Ultrasound-guided Percutaneous Neuromodulation to Conventional Treatment of Ultrasound-guided Percutaneous Electrolysis and Eccentric Exercises in Patients With Patellar Tendinopathy. Randomized Clinical Trial
Patellar tendinopathy, or "jumper's knee," is a prevalent condition involving patellar tendon degeneration due to structural overuse, common among athletes, particularly males over 18 in sports like volleyball, basketball, or football. It causes tendon thickening, collagen disorganization, fibroblast proliferation, neovascularization, and neurogenesis. Symptoms include anterior knee pain that worsens with activity, tenderness at the proximal tendon insertion, and functional limitations. Diagnosis often utilizes ultrasound imaging. While surgical treatment is reserved for severe cases, non-surgical options prioritize physiotherapy-especially eccentric exercises and newer invasive techniques like percutaneous electrolysis and neuromodulation. However, there is still no research on the effects when combining these three treatment options.
Read the detailed description
Patellar tendinopathy, also known as "jumper's knee," is one of the most common conditions affecting the patellar tendon. It involves degeneration of the tendon, primarily due to excessive structural overuse. This condition leads to various changes within the tissue, including tendon thickening, collagen fiber degeneration and disorganization, disruption in the parallel alignment of healthy collagen fibers, fibroblast proliferation with incomplete injury repair, neovascularization, and neurogenesis. Various studies indicate a high prevalence of patellar tendinopathy among athletes and the general population, with rates of 0.1% and 18.3%, respectively. The condition is more frequently observed in males over 18 who participate in sports such as volleyball, basketball, or football.
Clinical symptoms of patellar tendinopathy include anterior knee pain that worsens with exercise, post-exercise, or during prolonged knee flexion; localized pain and tenderness at the proximal tendon insertion; and functional impairment in actions such as squatting with ankle plantar flexion.There are different diagnostic methods, both medical and physiotherapeutic, to determine the presence of patellar tendinopathy. In this context, imaging evaluations through ultrasound show potential as diagnostic and follow-up tool.
Only in advanced stages of tendon degeneration is surgical treatment considered, which may involve open surgery or arthroscopy. Among non-surgical treatments for patellar tendinopathy, medical options focus on platelet-rich plasma injections, hyaluronic acid, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or corticosteroids. However, conservative physiotherapy is typically the first choice, generally based on eccentric exercises, and invasive techniques such as percutaneous electrolysis or percutaneous neuromodulation.
Current literature provides evidence supporting percutaneous electrolysis, percutaneous neuromodulation and eccentric exercises as therapeutic methods for tendinopathies. However, there is presently no evidence or studies regarding the combination of these three techniques.
- Being tested
- US-guided PNM, US-guided PE, EE
- Keywords
- percutaneous neuromodulation, percutaneous electrolysis, eccentric exercise, patellar tendinopathy, jumper´s knee
- Medical subject headings
- Patella Fracture, Tendinopathy
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
US-guided PNMOther
The patient will be positioned in supine with approximately 20 degrees of knee flexion, supported by a cushion. The treatment area is sterilized in advance with 2% chlorhexidine, and new needles and ultrasound probe covers are used for each intervention. The femoral nerve is targeted under ultrasound guidance, just distal to the inguinal ligament, with an electrode patch placed on the patellar tendon to complete the circuit. A current of 2 Hz, 250 μs pulse width, and variable intensity is applied to reach the patient's comfortable contraction threshold without inducing pain, for a duration of 25 minutes, following the protocol established by MVClinic Institute. This intervention will be performed on the first day, at 7 days, and at 14 days, following the previously mentioned protocol.
US-guided PEOther
The patient will be positioned in supine with approximately 20º of knee flexion, supported by a cushion. Prior to the EP procedure, the treatment area will be sterilized with 2% chlorhexidine, and new needles and ultrasound probe covers will be used for each session. Three EP interventions will be performed under ultrasound guidance following the protocol developed by MVClinic Institute (2) for treating tendinopathies, using a longitudinal, long-axis view of the patellar tendon. A galvanic current of 3 mA will be applied for 3 seconds, with slight three-dimensional adjustments in needle placement after each impact to administer a total of 3 impacts on the target tissue. This intervention will be performed on the first day, at 7 days, and at 14 days, following the previously mentioned protocol.
EEOther
Three sets of 15 repetitions of single-leg squats on a 25º inclined plane, performed twice daily, following Young's protocol for patellar tendinopathies. The speed of execution may be increased as long as, if there is pain during the exercise, it does not exceed a 2-3 on the VAS scale.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| US-PNM + US-PE + EE | Experimental | Patients receive three interventions: ultrasound-guided percutaneous neuromodulation, ultrasound-guided percutaneous electrolysis and eccentric exercises Receives: Other: US-guided PNM; Other: US-guided PE |
| US-PE + EE | Active comparator | Patients receive two interventions: ultrasound-guided percutaneous electrolysis and eccentric exercises Receives: Other: US-guided PE; Other: EE |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Pain
This will be measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Minimum and maximum values are 1-10, being 10 worst possible pain
Measured: Measurements will be conducted on day 1, 7, 14, 21 and 28
Secondary outcomes (4)
Pain and Functionality
This will be measured using the VISA-P questionnaire
Measured: Measurements will be conducted on days 1 and 28
Quality of Life
This will be measured using the SF-36 questionnaire
Measured: Measurements will be conducted on days 1 and 28
Functionality
This will be measured using the pistol squat exercise
Measured: Measurements will be conducted on days 1 and 28
Tendinous tissue condition
This will be measured using ultrasonography
Measured: Measurements will be conducted on days 1 and 28
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted12 Nov 2024
- Study start1 Feb 2025
- Primary completion30 Sep 2025
- Study completion27 Dec 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Patellar TendinitisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 26 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Universidad de Zaragoza
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dr. Pablo Herrero Gallego, Universidad de Zaragoza
- Investigators
- Pablo Herrero, Physiotherapist, Study director, Universidad de Zaragoza
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06685302
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- PNM, PES and EE in PT. ECA
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 9 Nov 2024
- Last updated
- 23 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Data will be shared on a reasonable request contacting with the main author once data has been published.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effect of Adding Ultrasound-guided Percutaneous Neuromodulation to Conventional Treatment of Ultrasound-guided Percutaneous Electrolysis and Eccentric Exercises in Patients With Patellar Tendinopathy. Randomized Clinical Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06685302
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PNM, PES and EE in PT. ECA
- Keywords
- percutaneous neuromodulation, percutaneous electrolysis, eccentric exercise, patellar tendinopathy, jumper´s knee
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 26 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Universidad de ZaragozaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Feb 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Sep 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 27 Dec 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 12 Nov 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Patellar tendinopathy, or "jumper's knee," is a prevalent condition involving patellar tendon degeneration due to structural overuse, common among athletes, particularly males over 18 in sports like volleyball, basketball, or football. It causes tendon thickening, collagen disorganization, fibroblast proliferation, neovascularization, and neurogenesis. Symptoms include anterior knee pain that worsens with activity, tenderness at the proximal tendon insertion, and functional limitations. Diagnosis often utilizes ultrasound imaging. While surgical treatment is reserved for severe cases, non-surgical options prioritize physiotherapy-especially eccentric exercises and newer invasive techniques like percutaneous electrolysis and neuromodulation. However, there is still no research on the effects when combining these three treatment options.
Detailed description
Patellar tendinopathy, also known as "jumper's knee," is one of the most common conditions affecting the patellar tendon. It involves degeneration of the tendon, primarily due to excessive structural overuse. This condition leads to various changes within the tissue, including tendon thickening, collagen fiber degeneration and disorganization, disruption in the parallel alignment of healthy collagen fibers, fibroblast proliferation with incomplete injury repair, neovascularization, and neurogenesis. Various studies indicate a high prevalence of patellar tendinopathy among athletes and the general population, with rates of 0.1% and 18.3%, respectively. The condition is more frequently observed in males over 18 who participate in sports such as volleyball, basketball, or football.
Clinical symptoms of patellar tendinopathy include anterior knee pain that worsens with exercise, post-exercise, or during prolonged knee flexion; localized pain and tenderness at the proximal tendon insertion; and functional impairment in actions such as squatting with ankle plantar flexion.There are different diagnostic methods, both medical and physiotherapeutic, to determine the presence of patellar tendinopathy. In this context, imaging evaluations through ultrasound show potential as diagnostic and follow-up tool.
Only in advanced stages of tendon degeneration is surgical treatment considered, which may involve open surgery or arthroscopy. Among non-surgical treatments for patellar tendinopathy, medical options focus on platelet-rich plasma injections, hyaluronic acid, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or corticosteroids. However, conservative physiotherapy is typically the first choice, generally based on eccentric exercises, and invasive techniques such as percutaneous electrolysis or percutaneous neuromodulation.
Current literature provides evidence supporting percutaneous electrolysis, percutaneous neuromodulation and eccentric exercises as therapeutic methods for tendinopathies. However, there is presently no evidence or studies regarding the combination of these three techniques.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| US-PNM + US-PE + EE | Experimental | Other: US-guided PNM, Other: US-guided PEPatients receive three interventions: ultrasound-guided percutaneous neuromodulation, ultrasound-guided percutaneous electrolysis and eccentric exercises |
| US-PE + EE | Active comparator | Other: US-guided PE, Other: EEPatients receive two interventions: ultrasound-guided percutaneous electrolysis and eccentric exercises |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 50 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Aged between 18 and 50 years
- Experiencing localized anterior knee pain at the lower pole of the patella for at least two weeks
- Engaging in any type of sport at least three times per week
- Scoring less than 80 points on the VISA-P questionnaire in its Spanish version
- Having carefully read and signed the study's informed consent form
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Any contraindication for invasive techniques (such as belonephobia, allergies to materials used, cancer, thrombophlebitis, skin conditions, or febrile states)
- Any lower limb pathology or severe chronic condition (e.g., Osgood-Schlatter syndrome or Sinding-Larsen-Johansson syndrome)
- Pharmacological treatment within the 48 hours prior to the intervention
- Knee surgeries within the past year
- Corticosteroid injections within the previous 3 months
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| US-guided PNMThe patient will be positioned in supine with approximately 20 degrees of knee flexion, supported by a cushion. The treatment area is sterilized in advance with 2% chlorhexidine, and new needles and ultrasound probe covers are used for each intervention. The femoral nerve is targeted under ultrasound guidance, just distal to the inguinal ligament, with an electrode patch placed on the patellar tendon to complete the circuit. A current of 2 Hz, 250 μs pulse width, and variable intensity is applied to reach the patient's comfortable contraction threshold without inducing pain, for a duration of 25 minutes, following the protocol established by MVClinic Institute. This intervention will be performed on the first day, at 7 days, and at 14 days, following the previously mentioned protocol. | Other | US-PNM + US-PE + EE |
| US-guided PEThe patient will be positioned in supine with approximately 20º of knee flexion, supported by a cushion. Prior to the EP procedure, the treatment area will be sterilized with 2% chlorhexidine, and new needles and ultrasound probe covers will be used for each session. Three EP interventions will be performed under ultrasound guidance following the protocol developed by MVClinic Institute (2) for treating tendinopathies, using a longitudinal, long-axis view of the patellar tendon. A galvanic current of 3 mA will be applied for 3 seconds, with slight three-dimensional adjustments in needle placement after each impact to administer a total of 3 impacts on the target tissue. This intervention will be performed on the first day, at 7 days, and at 14 days, following the previously mentioned protocol. | Other | US-PE + EE, US-PNM + US-PE + EE |
| EEThree sets of 15 repetitions of single-leg squats on a 25º inclined plane, performed twice daily, following Young's protocol for patellar tendinopathies. The speed of execution may be increased as long as, if there is pain during the exercise, it does not exceed a 2-3 on the VAS scale. | Other | US-PE + EE |
Primary outcome
Pain
Time frame: Measurements will be conducted on day 1, 7, 14, 21 and 28
This will be measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Minimum and maximum values are 1-10, being 10 worst possible pain
4 secondary outcomes
Pain and Functionality
Time frame: Measurements will be conducted on days 1 and 28
Quality of Life
Time frame: Measurements will be conducted on days 1 and 28
Functionality
Time frame: Measurements will be conducted on days 1 and 28
Tendinous tissue condition
Time frame: Measurements will be conducted on days 1 and 28
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 Jun 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Data will be shared on a reasonable request contacting with the main author once data has been published.
Related trials for Patellar Tendinitis
Recruiting
Identification of Kinematic Variables Specific of Patellar Tendinopathy in Athletes at Risk
Patellar Tendinitis, Jumper's Knee
Recruiting
Clinical Eficacy of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy on Patellar Tendinitis
Shock Wave Threapy for Patellar Tendinitis
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Pablo Herrero, Physiotherapist study director
Universidad de Zaragoza
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing US-guided PNM, US-guided PE and EE in people with Patellar Tendinitis and Patella; Tendinitis, run by Universidad de Zaragoza at 1 site in Spain.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Spain. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Pain (time frame: Measurements will be conducted on day 1, 7, 14, 21 and 28). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 23 Jun 2026.