An interventional study of Neuromuscular training for the knee and High-load strength training for the knee in Hypermobility, Joint, Hypermobility Syndrome and Knee Discomfort, sponsored by University of Southern Denmark. Active, not recruiting at 2 sites in Denmark. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 45 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-10.
Sponsored by University of Southern Denmark · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Pain associated with knee joint hypermobility is common in the adult population, but evidence on treatment is sparse. This study investigates if high-load resistance training is superior to usual care in improving activity-related pain in young patients (18-45 years) with hypermobile joints and knee pain.
Knee joint hypermobility is common in the adult population. Patients with knee joint hypermobility and knee pain are typically managed with low intensity resistance training and proprioceptive training to reduce knee pain and improve function, but many patients do not respond well to these treatment strategies. High-load resistance training offers additional benefits to low intensity resistance training, including marked increase in muscle cross-sectional area, neural drive, and increased tendon stiffness, all important components of acquiring active knee joint stability during movement tasks and daily life. Therefore, the primary aim of this randomised controlled trial (RCT) is to investigate if high-load resistance training is superior to usual care in reducing activity-related pain in young patients (18-45 years) with hypermobile joints and knee pain.
115 studies on the registry are indexed under Joint Instability; 21 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 80 is above the median of 46 across 58 interventional studies indexed under Joint Instability.
Browse Joint Instability studies →University of Southern Denmark is the lead sponsor of 336 studies on the registry; 46 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion criteria
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.
Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.
Autoimmune disease
A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.
Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Progressive high-load resistance training program performed twice weekly for 12 weeks
Other: High-load strength training for the knee
The standard care group will receive instructions on a neuromuscular training program with focus on knee stability and function performed at low intensities to be conducted twice weekly for 12 weeks
Other: Neuromuscular training for the knee
The exercise programme includes exercises identified in literature to target muscles around the knee.
The exercise programme includes exercises identified in literature to target muscles around the knee.
Visual Analogue Scale Nominated Activity
The primary outcome is the Self-reported knee pain during an activity nominated by patients to be the most aggravating for their present knee pain (VAS nominated activity - VASNA, 0-100, 100 = worse). The primary endpoint is at 12-week follow-up.
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks (primary endpoint), 12 months
Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)
Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score is a validated knee-specific questionnaire used to assess patient-reported outcomes in the continuum from knee injury to osteoarthritis and is widely used for different types of knee pathology. (0-100, 100 = best)
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks, 12 months
Adverse events
Adverse events will be defined as any unintended, negative findings, symptom, or illnesses that occur during the study assessments or interventions, whether attributable to the project or not.
Time frame: Up to 12 months
Dynamic knee strength
Dynamic leg strength will be established by a 5-repetition maximum leg press (single leg) by a standardised protocol.
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Knee reposition sense
Sitting active knee joint reposition (proprioception) test will be performed using a HALO Digital Goniometer, to assess mean absolute angle error (AAE)
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Single-Leg-Hop for Distance
The patients will be instructed to hop forward as far as possible and land steadily and stand still for at least three seconds.
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Knee pain past week
Knee pain for the past week is measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (0-100, 100 = worse)
Time frame: Baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 12 months
Tampa scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK) 11 item
Tampa scale of Kinesiophobia is used to measure impression of change in fear of movement from baseline to 16 weeks follow-up. It consists of an 11-item scale where each question is scored on a 4 point Likert scale, with 1 indicating, "strongly disagree" and 4 indicating, "strongly agree". The total scores range from 11-44, with higher scores representing increased fear of movement.
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks, 12 months
EQ-5D-5L
the European Quality of life-5 Dimensions-5-Level measures change in health related quality of life and includes the EQ-5D descriptive system and the EQ visual analogue scale (EQ VAS). The EQ-5D descriptive system comprises five dimensions (mobility, Self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression). Each dimension is rated using a five-level ordinal scale from no problems to extreme problems. It results in a preference based index that range from states worse than death (\<0), to 1 (full health), anchoring dead at 0. A score of one indicates that the participants perceived their health at the best possible state and a score below null that the participants perceived their health worse than death.
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks, 12 months
EQ VAS
the European Quality of life-5 Dimensions-5-Level measures change in health related quality of life and includes the EQ-5D descriptive system and the EQ visual analogue scale (EQ VAS). The EQ VAS measures change in health related quality of life. It includes a visual analogue scale where own health 'today´ is rated on a scale from 0 (worst imaginable health) to 100 (best imaginable health).
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks, 12 months
Global perceived effect (GPE)
To measure the patients self-rated impression of improvement at follow-up the GPE will be used related to knee problems. GPE measures self-rated impression of improvement since baseline assessment on a 7-point scale (1 "worse, an important worsening" to 7 "better, an important improvement)
Time frame: 12 weeks, 12 months
PASS
Patient Acceptable Symptom State "When you think of your knee function, will you consider your current condition as satisfying? By knee function, you should take into account your activities of daily living, sport and recreational activities, your pain and other symptoms and your quality of life". Answered by "yes" or "no".
Time frame: 12 weeks, 12 months
TF
Treatment Failure Only answered by patients answering "no" to PASS. "Would you consider your current state as being so unsatisfactory that you consider the treatment to have failed?". Answered by "yes" or "no".
Time frame: 12 weeks, 12 months
Clinical important difference
American College of Rheumatology response criteria 20% and 50%
Time frame: 12 weeks, 12 months
Knee instability questions
Within the last month, have you experienced that your knee was unstable or about to give out? To what extent has the experience of your knee feeling unstable or giving out affected your daily activity level within the last month?
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks, 12 months
Tendon stiffness
Stiffness of the patellar tendon is assessed based on corresponding values of tendon force and tendon deformation (measured by use of B-mode ultrasonography). Subgroup of patients (n = 30)
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Quadriceps rate of torque development (RTD)
Rate of torque development in the quadriceps muscle. Subgroup of patients (n = 30)
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Patella instability
Moving patellar apprehension test will be used to assess patella instability. Subgroup of patients (n = 30)
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Quadriceps maximal voluntary isometric contraction
Isometric maximal voluntary contraction in the quadriceps muscle. Subgroup of patients (n = 30)
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Plan to share: No
This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Sep 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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