NCT05728827

A Study to Compare Two Rehabilitation Protocols for Knee Osteoarthritis

Rehabilitation With Blood Flow Restriction Training to Enhance Anti-gravity Treadmill Effects in the Treatment of Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: a Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 70 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Bellinzona · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 45 Years – 80 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The aim of this randomized controlled study is to investigate whether the implementation of Blood Flow Restriction, in which the de-loading factor is delivered by the combined progressive de-loaded walking to running activity on an antigravity treadmill (treatment group), is more effective than the same antigravity protocol alone (control group). Participants will be divided as follows: Intervention group: anti-gravity treadmill combined with blood flow restriction Control group: anti-gravity treadmill Both groups will also undergo a standardized knee Osteoarthritis management through an aerobic and strength program.

Conditions

• Knee Osteoarthritis

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Blood flow restriction training + Anti-gravity treadmill	Blood flow restriction training is administered via straps applied to the proximal limb with the possibility to adjust the applied occlusion pressure in order to prevent venous return leaving the arterial flow partially free. The consequent blood pooling causes a reduction in tissue saturation with oxidative stress and an increased growth factors secretion. The intervention will be applied while walking/running on the anti-gravity treadmill.
OTHER	Anti-gravity treadmill	The intervention will be applied walking/running on the anti-gravity treadmill.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-03-15
• Primary completion: 2026-09-01
• Completion: 2026-09-01
• First posted: 2023-02-15
• Last updated: 2026-03-05

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Switzerland