Exercise adherence Mobile app for Knee Osteoarthritis: protocol for the MappKO randomised controlled trial.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Digital Health
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Knee osteoarthritis (OA) management relies on ongoing exercise, especially strengthening.
• Patient adherence to exercise decreases after clinician consultations cease.
• Mobile applications (apps) offer a potential solution to improve adherence through behavior change techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if a theory-informed mobile app improves exercise adherence and physical function in knee OA patients.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile app combined with a home-based strengthening program.

Main Methods:

• A two-arm, pragmatic, superiority randomized trial involving 182 Australians with chronic knee pain (clinical OA).
• Participants were randomized to either a physiotherapist-prescribed exercise program or the same program plus the 'My Exercise Messages' mobile app.
• The intervention included two initial videoconferencing consultations, followed by 24 weeks of unsupervised home-based exercise, with the app group using the app for adherence support.

Main Results:

• Primary outcomes include self-reported physical function and exercise adherence (days performed).
• Secondary outcomes assess knee pain, quality of life, self-efficacy, and physical activity.
• The study will determine if the app improves adherence and function compared to exercise alone.

Conclusions:

• Findings will clarify the role of mobile apps in supporting long-term exercise adherence for knee OA.
• The study assesses the app's impact on physical function and other patient-reported outcomes.
• Results will inform the integration of digital health tools in OA management.