Steps Towards Osteoarthritis Prevention

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA · Dec 21, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The clinical trial titled "Steps Towards Osteoarthritis Prevention" is studying how daily physical activity, specifically the number of steps taken, affects knee health after surgery for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. Researchers want to understand if people who walk less after their ACL reconstruction surgery might have weaker knee cartilage, which could lead to osteoarthritis (OA) later on. By tracking participants' daily steps and using advanced imaging techniques, they hope to find a connection between physical activity and the condition of knee cartilage.

To be eligible for this study, participants need to be 6 to 24 months post-ACL surgery, have not undergone any additional knee surgeries, and be willing to follow study guidelines, including using a smartphone to monitor their steps. Participants should currently be taking less than 7,000 steps a day. The study is open to individuals of all genders and is currently recruiting. Those who qualify will be monitored over time to see how their daily activity impacts their knee health. If you're interested, it's important to know that you cannot have certain medical conditions or devices, such as a pacemaker or metal implants, to participate.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Provision of signed and dated informed consent form
• • For children, signed and dated informed assent by child and parental permission form by parent/guardian to participate in the study
• • Underwent an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) between 6-60 months prior to enrollment
• • Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and lifestyle considerations and availability for the duration of the study
• • Completed all other formal physical therapy and therapeutic exercise regimens, and will not be engaging in any other formal therapy for their ACLR during the study
• • Physician clearance for unrestricted activity
• • Owning a smartphone
• • Demonstrate \< 7,000 steps per day during the screening phase of aim 2 as assessed using the Actigraph Link monitor
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Underwent an ACLR revision surgery due to a previous anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft injury
• • A multiple ligament surgery was indicated with their ACL injury
• • A lower extremity fracture was suffered during the ACL injury
• • The participant has previously been diagnosed with any diseases that affect joints is present in either knee including knee osteoarthritis inflammatory arthritis
• • Pregnant or plans to become pregnant over next 4 months
• • Body mass index (BMI) ≥ 36 kg/m2
• • Unable to speak English
• • Cochlear implant
• • Metal in body (metal fragments, shrapnel, permanent make-up, body piercings that cannot be removed)
• • Claustrophobia
• • History of seizures
• • Pacemaker