A Self-Directed Web-Based Education for Boston Marathon Runners With Patellofemoral Pain

Runners experience diverse lower extremity injuries, and the most common is patellofemoral pain (PFP)-commonly known as "runner's knee" and characterized by pain around and/or behind the kneecap. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a 6-week, self-directed, web-based education program for runners competing in the 2026 Boston Marathon. The study will evaluate outcomes, including pain, function, and marathon performance, in runners who use a web-based educational program designed to help them understand and manage knee pain. There will be two groups: Group 1 will receive the 6-week web-based educational program prior to the 2026 Boston Marathon, while Group 2 will serve as the wait-and-see control group (no intervention) prior to the marathon and then receive the same program 6 weeks after completing the marathon.

NCT Number	NCT07266922
Lead Sponsor	Boston Children's Hospital
Conditions	Patellofemoral Pain
Enrollment	104 participants
Start Date	2026-02-20
Primary Completion	2026-06-01 (estimated)
Study Completion	2026-07-01 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-03-10