Telerehabilitation for Knee Osteoarthritis: Study Protocol

Summary

Patient Recruitment and Enrolment

All patients diagnosed with knee OA who present at Artros Medical Center for an orthopaedic specialist consultation will undergo a radiological examination. Based on the radiographic findings and clinical evaluation, the orthopaedic specialist will refer eligible patients to a physiotherapist, who will assign them to the TG or CG. The physiotherapist will provide both verbal and written explanations of the study procedures. Patients will be included in the study after providing written informed consent.

Baseline Assessments

The physiotherapist will collect baseline data, including: Sociodemographic characteristics, Anthropometric measurements: height (cm), weight (kg), body mass index (BMI) (kg/m²), Educational background and employment status, Knee joint mobility assessment using a goniometer, Pain intensity measurement using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Physical function, stiffness, and pain assessment using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Physical activity evaluation using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Health-related quality of life assessment using the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), OA severity classification based on recent knee radiographs (≤ 4 months old), graded using the Kellgren-Lawrence classification system.

Conditions

• Pain
• Stiffness
• Physical Function

Interventions

OTHER

Telerehabilitation

Telerehabilitation involves a physiotherapy program delivered remotely using digital tools. Participants perform exercises independently with remote support from a physiotherapist, including: Weekly scheduled phone consultations Live virtual consultations via MS Teams, Zoom, or Skype Text messages and emails for personalized guidance, motivation, and ongoing problem-solving The intervention includes targeted exercises for: Core muscle strength Strengthening of lower extremity muscles Mobility exercises for the hip, knee, and ankle joints Balance and stabilization exercises Each session lasts approximately 20-25 minutes, performed three times per week. Patients can choose the days for their sessions, with the requirement of a minimum of 24 hours and a maximum of 72 hours of rest between sessions. The intervention will last for at least three months.

OTHER

Control group

Patients in the control group will receive written instructions for a home exercise program. They will independently perform the rehabilitation program at home without remote supervision. The intervention includes targeted exercises for: Core muscle strength Strengthening of lower extremity muscles Mobility exercises for the hip, knee, and ankle joints Balance and stabilization exercises Each session lasts approximately 20-25 minutes, performed three times per week. Patients can choose the days for their sessions, with the requirement of a minimum of 24 hours and a maximum of 72 hours of rest between sessions. The intervention will last for at least three months.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Novo Mesto

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Karmen Erjavec, prof. dr. · University of Novo Mesto

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

50 Years

Max Age

80 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-06-27

Primary Completion

2025-10-30

Completion

2025-11-10

Countries

• Slovenia

Study Locations