Therapeutics
Hao-Nan Wang, PhD
Physical therapist
West China Hospital of Sichuan University
Chengdu, Sichuan, China (People's Republic)
Pei Luo, PhD
Physical therapist
Beijing Sport University
Beijing, Beijing, China (People's Republic)
Jian Li, MD
Director
West China School of Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University
Chengdu, Sichuan, China (People's Republic)
Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is one of the most common disorders of the knee joint. Augmented Reality (AR) technology is becoming increasingly prevalent in the field of rehabilitation by integrating virtual environments with the real world to facilitate patient rehabilitation exercises. This study aims to evaluate the effects of an AR-based exercise program for patients with PFP.
Design:
Patients who had PFP were randomly allocated to an intervention group (IG) or a control group (CG). Patients in the IG received a 6-week tailored AR-based exercise program, while patients in the CG group received usual care. Clinical outcomes were compared using the Anterior Knee Pain Scale (AKPS) to measure function and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) to measure “worst pain”.
Results:
Among a total of 148 participants screened for eligibility, 38 were randomized and analyzed, including 19 participants in the intervention group and 19 participants in the control group. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the groups. At 6-week follow-up, the intervention group had better improvements in AKPS (between-group difference, 11.5 [95%CI, 5.0 to 18.1]; P < 0.01) compared to the control group. The intervention group showed a greater worst pain reduction (between-group difference, -4.6 [95%CI, -12.1.2 to 2.9]; P = 0.22) than the control group. No adverse events were reported.
Conclusion:
AR-based exercise program resulted in better function, but not less pain, compared with usual care in patients with PFP. A large randomized controlled trial with long-term follow-up is required to confirm these findings.
