NCT07308873

Individual Differences in Gait and Osteoarthritis Pain

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 300 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Pittsburgh · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 45 Years – 80 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of this observational study is to look at inter-individual differences in knee osteoarthritis (OA) walking pain and performance. The main questions this study aims to answer are: Why do some people with knee osteoarthritis have more severe disabling pain than others, even though the degenerative changes in their knees are similar? What are the factors that contribute to walking pain in people with knee osteoarthritis? Participants will complete surveys, perform physical function tasks, get a knee X-ray and MRI, undergo non-invasive brain imaging, and undergo sensory testing.

Detailed description

This observational study will identify biopsychosocial factors that contribute to inter-individual differences in walking pain and pain limiting walking with the hypothesis that neural processes play a key role. This study's objective is to elucidate "whole person" biopsychosocial mechanisms of movement-evoked pain and pain limitations on function in knee OA, helping to determine why some patients have severe disabling pain while others do not despite similar degenerative changes of the knee joint. Three hundred participants with knee OA will undergo a comprehensive data collection over two study visits, including surveys, exercise tasks, non-invasive brain and joint imaging, and biomechanics assessments during mobility. Using advanced analysis, this dataset will be used to identify factors contributing to walking-evoked pain and functional limitations in knee osteoarthritis.These results will identify new therapeutic targets to maintain or improve physical activity in patients with knee osteoarthritis, leading to better outcomes of physical therapy and improved overall health and well-being.

Conditions

• Knee Osteoarthritis (OA)
• Chronic Pain
• Chronic Knee Pain

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-01-07
• Primary completion: 2030-08-01
• Completion: 2030-08-01
• First posted: 2025-12-30
• Last updated: 2026-01-29

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States