Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 18, 2025
The Lower Body Positive Pressure Treadmill for Knee Osteoarthritis Rehabilitation
Published on: July 22, 2019
Reducing knee pain and loading with a gait retraining program for individuals with knee osteoarthritis: Protocol for
Patrick Corrigan1, Irene S Davis2, Khara A James1
1Department of Physical Therapy, Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
Objective:
This study aims to 1) determine the feasibility of conducting a full-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the efficacy of a gait retraining program on decreasing knee pain and impact loading in people with knee osteoarthritis, and 2) provide an estimate of treatment effects for a gait retraining program compared to a traditional walking program.
Methods:
Forty individuals with knee osteoarthritis will be enrolled in this randomized, double-blind, feasibility trial with two parallel groups. Participants will be randomly allocated to a gait retraining program aimed to decrease peak axial acceleration of the lower leg (i.e., tibia) by 20% or a traditional walking program. Both programs involve 8 sessions of walking on a treadmill. Feasibility will be assessed with recruitment, enrollment, and retention rates, and number of adverse events and unanticipated problems. Treatment effects will be estimated with measures of knee pain and impact loading collected at baseline, follow-up (<1 week post-intervention), and retention (≥1 month post-intervention) visits. Knee pain will be evaluated with the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index and impact loading will be measured during walking with three-dimensional motion analysis.
Conclusion:
Findings of this study will inform the feasibility of a full-scale RCT investigating the efficacy of a gait retraining program for people with knee osteoarthritis.
Trial Registration:
(NCT04148807).
