AI Based Telerehabilitation for Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Effectiveness and Useability of AI Based Telerehabilitation on Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a common cause of anterior knee pain in young, active adults and is often aggravated by prolonged sitting, stair use, squatting, and running. Exercise-based physiotherapy is the standard first-line treatment, but access to regular in-person supervision can be limited. This study compares two ways of delivering the same evidence-based exercise programme for PFPS: AI-based telerehabilitation, delivered remotely through the Physitrack platform with AI-assisted movement screening (MediaPipe), and conventional face-to-face physiotherapy. The study aimed to determine whether AI-based telerehabilitation is as effective as, or more effective than, conventional physiotherapy in reducing pain and improving physical function, and to evaluate how usable participants found the telerehabilitation platform

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age between 18 and 40 years.
• Body mass index 18.5-24.9 kg/m².
• Insidious (non-traumatic) onset of anterior knee pain, with positive Clark test.
• Pain during at least two of: running, jumping, squatting, kneeling, walking up/down stairs, or prolonged sitting.
• At least two positive clinical findings among apprehension test, patellar compression test, crepitus on compression, peripatellar tenderness, or pain on resisted knee extension.
• SNAPPS questionnaire score ≥6.
• Sitting in the same position >4 hours/day for over a year.
• Knee pain for at least 1 month, with activity-related pain above mild on NPRS.
• Access to a mobile phone and internet.

Exclusion Criteria:

Meniscal, ligamentous, or tendon injury of the knee.

• Patellar fracture, subluxation, or dislocation.
• Surgical or conservative treatment of the affected knee within the previous 6 months.
• Neuromuscular, metabolic, or rheumatologic disorder.