Knee Osteoarthritis in Elderly People - Gait Analysis

Launched by DIANA KAMAL · Jul 23, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This study is looking at whether adding guided gait (walking) training to a knee rehabilitation program helps older adults with painful osteoarthritis in both knees perform walking tasks better and feel more capable day-to-day. It’s for adults aged 65 to 80 who have had knee osteoarthritis in both knees for at least five years, experience knee pain after activity, and don’t have a knee replacement or major knee alignment problems. Participants should be able to participate in exercise and have other health issues that are well controlled (like high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes).

If you join, you would be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The study group gets a full rehabilitation program that includes ten days of electrotherapy and ultrasound, six weeks of exercise with added gait training, and gait analysis. The control group gets the same electrotherapy and exercise sessions but without the gait training component. All participants will have ultrasound checks of the thigh muscles and walking tests at the start and about three months in, measuring things like how fast you can stand up and walk (Timed Up and Go), how far you can walk in six minutes, walking pattern symmetry, and a quality-of-life survey (WOMAC). The trial is happening at Filantropia Hospital in Craiova, Romania, is randomized and investigator-blinded, and plans to enroll about 120 people. Results aren’t available yet.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • participants older than 65 years diagnosed with KOA according to ACR criteria, also accepted in our country;
• • at least 5 years of disease progression;
• • painful knee for a period of 48 hours after physical activity;
• • absence of knee injuries at least 6 months before;
• • absence of major disturbances in the frontal plane alignment of the knee;
• • participants with other co-morbidities, but well controlled, like: arterial hypertension, dyslipidaemia and mellitus diabetes type II; a history of a symptomatic or complicated upper gastro-intestinal ulcer;
• • compliance with physical exercise during the healthcare program.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • unstable medical conditions preventing the patient from participating in the rehabilitation programs,
• • history of knee replacement,
• • neurological or any other conditions affecting strength or function of lower limbs.