NCT04683913

Telerehabilitation Gait Modification

Foot Progression Angle Modification: an Exploratory Six-week Telerehabilitation Intervention in People With Knee Osteoarthritis

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 20 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of British Columbia · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 50 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Excessive knee joint loads during walking can contribute to knee osteoarthritis progression. Changing the rotation of the foot (in-toeing or out-toeing) while walking can lower knee joint loads and improve pain and function. Telerehabilitation (using video or telephone communication to delivery rehabilitation) has shown promise in delivering exercise therapy for knee osteoarthritis, but it is unknown if walking modifications can be delivered using this method. This study consists of a six-week walking modification program in people with knee osteoarthritis. Performance of the modification will be measured using motion capture and wearable sensors during practice and daily life.

Detailed description

Loads on the knee joint during walking are related to worsening of knee osteoarthritis. Changing walking motions to lower these knee joint loads is an emerging management strategy for knee osteoarthritis. Multiple studies have targeted a change in the position of the foot relative to the direction of walking (toe-in or toe-out walking) and have shown this walking modification to lower knee joint loads and improve symptoms (e.g. pain) related to knee osteoarthritis within the context of a walking program. Building off the many studies that have found telerehabilitation to be an effective method of providing exercise and pain-coping physical therapy, the investigators will use this method to provide walking modification treatment. Telerehabilitation (using video or teleconferencing to conduct the physical therapy appointment) provides a convenient and cost-effective method to work with patients and coordinate their treatment plan. To monitor progress with learning the walking modification, the investigators will use a custom sensor shoe that the participants will wear during daily walking activities over the six-week intervention. Overall, this study will investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of a walking modification program delivered using video- or teleconference.

Conditions

• Osteoarthritis, Knee

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Foot rotation modification	The instruction of gait modification provided via teleconferencing sessions (5 over 6 weeks) focusing on increasing toe-in or toe-out angles by "as much as is comfortable".
OTHER	Waiting Period - Delayed Group	Participants allocated to the Delayed Group will wait 6 weeks after their initial baseline, then complete a second baseline to provide a control condition. After the second baseline they will enter the intervention.

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-01-01
• Primary completion: 2022-05-20
• Completion: 2022-05-20
• First posted: 2020-12-24
• Last updated: 2024-12-04
• Results posted: 2024-12-04

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada