Ecological momentary assessment for symptom monitoring among people with knee osteoarthritis: A scoping review

In recent years, the number of individuals with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) receiving home-based conservative management has increased. These individuals often experience multiple symptoms that impair daily functioning, highlighting the need for remote monitoring. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) enables repeated, real-time monitoring of symptoms, activities, and environmental factors in natural settings. However, specific scenarios for applying EMA to assess KOA-related symptoms, together with acceptability and operational feasibility among patients in clinical practice, lack systematic evidence; therefore, the practical value of EMA requires further clarification.

This study aims to systematically synthesize evidence on the feasibility and clinical value of EMA for evaluating and dynamically monitoring symptoms in patients with KOA. Based on this synthesis, the challenges, emerging opportunities, and future research directions for EMA applications in KOA are further identified.

Following the Arksey and O'Malley framework and the PRISMA-ScR checklist, nine databases were systematically searched from inception to June 2025. After the screening process, relevant data were extracted from all studies that met the inclusion criteria.

A total of 24 studies were included. This review systematically summarized and analyzed study design characteristics, EMA data collection methods, response-related outcomes, and the main findings. Several gaps were identified. Sample size, follow-up duration, and data collection frequency varied substantially across studies. In addition, all included studies were limited to the assessment phase, with no translation of EMA use into actual symptom management for patients.

EMA is a feasible and valuable approach for evaluating symptoms in patients with KOA. Future studies should establish standardized data collection standards, optimize data collection tools, and further integrate EMA into symptom intervention and management to advance personalized, precision-based care.