Effectiveness of Stanley Paris Manual Therapy vs. Conventional Physiotherapy in Reducing Pain and Improving Function in Grade II Knee Osteoarthritis

Summary

This study aims to compare two different physiotherapy approaches for people suffering from Grade II Knee Osteoarthritis (OA) - a condition that causes knee pain, stiffness, and difficulty in walking.

The first approach is the Stanley Paris Manual Therapy Concept, which involves hands-on treatment techniques such as joint mobilization, soft tissue massage, and movement correction. The second is Conventional Physiotherapy, which uses traditional exercises and electrotherapy (like heat, ultrasound, or TENS) to reduce pain and improve strength.

The study will include 50 patients aged 40-60 years who have moderate knee osteoarthritis. They will be randomly divided into two groups - one receiving manual therapy and the other receiving conventional physiotherapy - for 6 to 8 weeks.

Researchers will measure pain, knee function, range of motion, balance, and quality of life before and after treatment to see which method gives better results.

By identifying which therapy works more effectively, this study will help patients, families, and healthcare providers choose the most beneficial and evidence-based treatment for improving movement, reducing pain, and enhancing daily living activities in people with knee osteoarthritis.

Conditions

• Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Knee

Interventions

OTHER

Hands-on manual therapy including joint mobilization, soft tissue and neural mobilization, and movement retraining based on the Stanley Paris Concept.

This intervention follows the Stanley Paris Manual Therapy Concept, a hands-on approach emphasizing biomechanical correction and functional movement restoration. Treatment will include Maitland and Kaltenborn joint mobilization (Grades II-IV), patellar glides, soft tissue and myofascial release, neural mobilization, and movement pattern retraining. Sessions will also include proprioceptive and balance exercises, functional strengthening, and patient education on posture and joint protection. Each participant will receive 4 sessions per week for 6 weeks, lasting approximately 45-60 minutes each, delivered by trained manual therapists using a standardized protocol.

OTHER

Conventional Physiotherapy Standard physiotherapy care including electrotherapy modalities (TENS, ultrasound), strengthening, flexibility, and balance training exercises.

This intervention consists of standard physiotherapy treatment commonly used for Grade II Knee Osteoarthritis. It includes electrotherapy modalities such as TENS, ultrasound, and hot/cold therapy, along with therapeutic exercises for strengthening, flexibility, and balance. Exercises include open-chain and closed-chain strengthening, range-of-motion activities, and static stretching. Participants will receive 4 supervised sessions per week for 6 weeks, each lasting 45-60 minutes, administered by qualified physiotherapists following evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Helping Hand Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences

  collaborator OTHER

• Ibadat International University, Islamabad

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Prof. Dr. Muhammad Nazim Farooq, Ph.D. · Ibadat International University, Islamabad

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

40 Years

Max Age

60 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-08-05

Primary Completion

2025-11-25

Completion

2025-12-25

Countries

• Pakistan

Study Locations