NCT06857123

Feasibility of Resting Intervals During Exercise Programs for Individuals With Knee Osteoarthritis

Mechanical and Molecular Determinants of Cartilage Response to Exercise

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 20 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Pittsburgh · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 45 Years – 79 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This pilot randomize trial tests the feasibility of administering two different exercise programs in people with knee osteoarthritis. One group receives the exercise program administered as usual, and the other group received the exercise program with resting intervals.

Detailed description

Participants will be randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment groups. Both groups do the same exercise program 3 times a week for 12 weeks on nonconsecutive days. The only difference is that one group will perform the exercises with small resting periods between exercises as normally done in clinical practice. The other group will have two long rests of 45 minutes during the exercise training session. Before and after the exercise programs, participants will undergo a series of assessments including gait analysis, MRI imaging of knees, tests of muscle strength and physical performance. Questionnaires will be completed. Blood and synovial fluid will be collected as part of this study.

Conditions

• Knee Osteoarthristis

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Exercise with Rest	Participants in this arm exercise 3 times a week for 12 weeks. Exercise program consists of warm-up, strengthening exercises of the lower major extremity muscle groups, and aerobic training using a treadmill. These sessions include two 45 minute rest periods between exercises and take about two and a half hours.
BEHAVIORAL	Exercise without Rest	Participants in this arm exercise 3 times a week for 12 weeks. Exercise program consists of warm-up, strengthening exercises of the lower major extremity muscle groups, and aerobic training using a treadmill. These sessions include minimal resting periods between exercises and take about one hour.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-12-04
• Primary completion: 2026-12-31
• Completion: 2026-12-31
• First posted: 2025-03-04
• Last updated: 2026-02-09

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States