Effects of Hip and Ankle Mobility Rehabilitation in Male Collegiate Athletes With Patellofemoral Pain

This study evaluates whether a 6-week hip- and ankle-mobility-based rehabilitation program can improve pain, knee-related function, neuromuscular coordination, and physical performance in male soccer players with patellofemoral pain. Patellofemoral pain is a common condition in soccer players and may affect training tolerance, movement control, and sports performance. In this randomized controlled trial, participants are assigned to either an intervention group receiving hip- and ankle-mobility-based rehabilitation in addition to regular soccer training or a control group continuing regular soccer training alone. The rehabilitation program is performed 3 times per week for 6 weeks. Main outcomes include pain intensity and knee-related function. Additional outcomes include hip and ankle range of motion, vastus medialis-vastus lateralis onset timing, Y-Balance Test performance, and countermovement jump height. This study aims to determine whether improving proximal and distal joint mobility can contribute to better clinical and functional recovery in soccer players with patellofemoral pain.