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Comparing Surgery Versus Standard Physical Therapy in Treating People With a Meniscal Tear and Osteoarthritis

NCT00597012 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 351

Last updated 2026-05-18

Study results available
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Summary

There are two cartilage structures, called menisci, in each knee joint. A torn meniscus can be caused by a traumatic injury or aging-related degeneration. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a type of arthritis that is caused by the breakdown and eventual loss of another type of cartilage that covers the end of bones within a joint. In people who have knee OA, a meniscal tear can easily lead to disability. This study will compare the effectiveness of two recommended treatments, surgery and physical therapy, for people with a torn meniscus and knee OA.

Conditions

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Arthroscopic partial menisectomy

Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy is a surgical procedure that is performed to remove a piece of torn cartilage in the knee joint. Incisions for arthroscopy are quite small, usually about 1 centimeter each. The torn meniscus can be removed using a number of different instruments, including small shavers and scissors.

OTHER

Standard physical therapy

Participants will undergo standard physical therapy that will include strengthening and stretching sessions one to three times a week for 8 weeks. This physical therapy regimen will have similar elements and goals as the postoperative intervention offered to Group 1 participants.

OTHER

Postoperative rehabilitative physical therapy

This physical therapy is geared specifically toward rehabilitation after APM surgery.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Brigham and Women's Hospital

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Jeffrey N. Katz, MD, MS · Brigham and Women's Hospital

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
45 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2008-05-31
Primary Completion
2012-02-29
Completion
2025-12-31

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT00597012 on ClinicalTrials.gov