A Study of the Effectiveness of Different Types of Exercise for People With Knee Osteoarthritis

Summary

This pilot study will test the testing and exercise training protocols for a larger study that is in the desing phase and may be modified based on the findings of this study. Two exercise groups will be compared; one is a stadard treatment group using leg strength exercises that are commonly employed in therapy clinics. The other group will do balance and agility type exercises, but no specific strength exercises. These "KBA" exercises are increasingly common in therapy clinics, but very little research has been conducted on their effectiveness in treating knee osteoarthritis symptoms. Participants in this study will complete three short paper and pencil tests at the beginning and end of the study (8 weeks of exercise) as well as a leg strength test, a leg endurance test, two short walking tests, and a stair climb/descend test. One of the paper and pencil tests will be taken every two weeks in an effort to see how quickly changes to symptoms might occur. The exercise programs will be conducted 3 afternoons per week (Mon-Wed-Fri) and will be lead by an ACSM certified instructor.

Conditions

• Knee Osteoarthritis

Interventions

OTHER

Kinesthesia, Balance, and Agility (KBA) Exercise

Participants will exercise three times per week 20 to 30 minutes per session. Agility/Active Range of Motion exercises provide warm-up, improve joint range-of-motion \& agility, dynamic proprioception,functional strength \& endurance. Kinesthesia \& Balance Training will challenge the subject's proprioceptive and neuromuscular control mechanisms to adapt and stabilize the knee joints during dynamic ADL activities (walking, climbing, etc); improve static and dynamic balance and sense of stability \& confidence in ADL activities. Soft pads will be used to progress some of the kinesthesia \& balance challenge training. Thera-Band® balance pads at 3 levels of softness will be used. These balance pads allow both appropriate starting difficulty and progression of difficulty level (i.e., the softer the pad, the greater the difficulty). Subjects will demonstrate safe balance on a stable surface (i.e. one-footed standing on floor) prior to progressing to the first level of the soft pads.

OTHER

Standard LE Strength Training

Standard therapeutic exercises for knee OA which are widely used. Body weight and Thera-Band® color coded elastic bands will be used as appropriate to provide resistance. Exercises will be progressed according to the individual participant's improvement. All training for the ST condition will be conducted on stable surfaces (e.g. standing on floor, sitting in chair, lying on floor). Exercises may include 4-direction straight leg lifts, heel slides, quad sets, internal \& external hip rotation, heel raises, toe raises, knee extension, knee flexion, partial squats/wall slides, etc.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Arthritis Research Institute of America

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Matthew W Rogers, MS · The Arthritis Research Institute of America

• Nauris Tamulevicius, PhD · Morton Plant Mease Cheek-Powell Wellness Center

• Frances V Wilder, PhD · The Arthritis Research Institute of America

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

50 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2008-01-31

Primary Completion

2008-06-30

Completion

2008-07-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations