Effect of Collagen/Vitamin C in Jumper's Knee; a RCT

Launched by GELDERSE VALLEI HOSPITAL · Jun 2, 2022

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying the effects of a supplement containing collagen and Vitamin C on athletes suffering from a knee condition known as patellar tendinopathy, commonly referred to as Jumper's Knee. This condition can cause pain in the knee and may keep athletes from participating in sports, which can be frustrating and lead to longer recovery times. In this study, researchers want to find out if taking this supplement, along with standard treatments like education about the injury and specific exercises, can improve the patients' symptoms better than just the usual care or a placebo (a treatment that has no active ingredients).

To be eligible for the trial, participants should be between the ages of 16 and 40, have experienced knee pain in the patellar tendon for at least 12 weeks, and participate in sports at least once a week. They should also be willing to take non-vegetarian nutritional supplements. Throughout the trial, participants can expect to be monitored over a year, with assessments at 12, 24, and 52 weeks to see how their pain and function improve. It's important to note that individuals with certain medical conditions, recent knee surgeries, or those using specific medications may not qualify for the study.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Age 16 - 40 years old (the chosen age range will minimize chances of other conditions causing anterior knee pain such as osteoarthritis among patients above 40 years and osteochondrotic diseases like Sinding-Larsen-Johansson syndrome and Osgood-Schlatter disease among patients below the age of 16).
• • History of focal knee pain in patellar tendon or its patellar or tibial insertion in association with training and/or competition.
• • Current symptom duration of at least 12 weeks.
• • Sports participation at least once a week for at least one year.
• • Palpation tenderness to the corresponding painful area on the patellar tendon.
• • Focal patellar tendon pain during patellar tendon loading with a pain provocation test (single leg decline squat and/or single leg jump squat)
• • Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment (VISA-P) score \< 80 out of 100 points.
• • Willingness to take (non-vegetarian) nutritional supplements.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Known presence of inflammatory joint diseases (e.g. spondylarthropathy, gout or rheumatoid arthritis) or familial hypercholesterolaemia.
• • Daily use of drugs with a putative effect on the patellar tendon in the preceding year (e.g. fluoroquinolones and statins)
• • Knee surgery without a full completion of the rehabilitation program in the history of the index knee
• • Previous patellar tendon rupture of the index knee
• • Local injection therapy with corticosteroids, other drugs, blood, platelet rich plasma or stem cells in the preceding 12 months
• • Acute knee injuries, including patellar tendon injuries with an acute onset
• • Inability to perform the PTLE program
• • Participation in other concomitant treatment programs
• • Signs or symptoms of other coexisting knee pathology on physical examination (such as patellofemoral pain syndrome, joint effusion and joint line tenderness) or additional diagnostics when found necessary by the sports physician (Chondral lesion of the patella or trochlea on MRI or prepatellar bursitis on US).
• • Already using collagen supplementation
• • Giving blood donation in a period of two months prior to each test day
• • Being pregnant or wish to become pregnant in the upcoming year
• • Abuse of hard drugs
• • An alcohol consumption \>21 units/week (men) or \>14 units/week (women)