Tele-rehabilitation in Knee Osteo Arthritis

Role of Tele-rehabilitation in Elderly Women With Locomotor Disabilities Due to Knee Osteo Arthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative joint disease with an inflammatory component that starts from the matrix of the articular cartilage. Females are affected more than males and they have marked locomotor disabilities. Moreover, OA patients suffer from a range of extra-articular symptoms which also leads to functional impairment and disability such as fatigue, depression, anxiety, fear of movement, physical inactivity, and decreased muscle strength. OA management with physical therapy and exercise is recognized as the cornerstone of conservative and self-treatment for this chronic disease. The concept of telerehabilitation has been introduced in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation, which combines telemedicine and rehabilitation interventions to support ongoing rehabilitation services for patients.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Knee Osteoarthritis
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Tele rehabilitation; Other: Exercise

Detailed Description

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative joint disease with an inflammatory component that starts from the matrix of the articular cartilage, progresses with disruption of chondrocyte responses and results in tissue destruction. In OA, primary involvement is seen in the articular cartilage, and progressive damage occurs. Females are affected more than males and they have marked locomotor disabilities. Moreover, OA patients suffer from a range of extra-articular symptoms which also leads to functional impairment and disability such as fatigue, depression, anxiety, fear of movement, physical inactivity, and decreased muscle strength.

OA management with physical therapy and exercise is recognized as the cornerstone of conservative and self-treatment for this chronic disease. The lack of professional supervision and feedback will result in reduced participation in continuing OA medical or rehabilitative services, which in turn will reduce the effectiveness of OA treatments.

With the development of telemedicine, it has been determined that patients living in remote areas have the chance to communicate with professional physicians simultaneously. The concept of telerehabilitation has been introduced in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation, which combines telemedicine and rehabilitation interventions to support ongoing rehabilitation services for patients. Internet- based rehabilitation is one of the effective strategies in telerehabilitation. The use of the internet to provide health-related interventions has the potential to reduce the cost of treatment and improve user satisfaction.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 56
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Saudi Arabia
  • Riyadh
    • Al Kharj, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 11942
      • Gopal Nambi

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients diagnosed with mild to moderate OA by their physicians.
• Female in the age range of 45 - 65 years.
• Volunteer to participate in the study.
• Living independently.
• Being able to walk without using an assistive device.
• Owning a mobile phone, tablet, or computer with an internet connection.
• Being able to use the device without assistance.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Having been diagnosed with any other systemic rheumatic diseases.
• Having been involved in a physiotherapy and rehabilitation program in any health institution in the last 6 months,
• Having knee-related surgery,
• Having meniscal or ligament-associated tears occurred in the past 6 months,
• Having a history of falling more than 2 times in the last 6 months,
• Having a history of knee injection in the last 4 weeks or scheduled in the next 8 week,
• Being illiterate, having cognitive problems, having blurred vision problem, and having hearing loss.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Group A; In the active group, one of the co-investigators will install and demonstrate the use of the mobile app (Rehab App) on participants' mobile phone and explain the use of the software. The participants will be followed up for the duration of their enrolment in the e-health and tele-rehabilitation service, which can last up to 2 months and the treatment will be monitored.	Device: Tele rehabilitation; In the active group, one of the co-investigators will install and demonstrate the use of the mobile app (Rehab App) on participants' mobile phone and explain the use of the software. The participants will be followed up for the duration of their enrolment in the e-health and tele-rehabilitation service, which can last up to 2 months.
Active Comparator: Group B; Participants in the control group will get the usual treatment from the clinical staff and in-person education, and they will be supervised by one of the assigned research team members every week.	Other: Exercise; Participants in the control group will get the usual treatment from the clinical staff and in-person education, and they will be supervised by one of the assigned research team members every week.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pain intensity	Which was measured by 10 cm visual analogue scale	Baseline
Pain intensity	Which was measured by 10 cm visual analogue scale	2 months
Pain intensity	Which was measured by 10 cm visual analogue scale	After 6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Functional disability	Which was measured by WOMAC questionnaire	Baseline
Functional disability	Which was measured by WOMAC questionnaire	2 months
Functional disability	Which was measured by WOMAC questionnaire	6 months
Gait velocity	Which was measured in meters/ second	Baseline
Gait velocity	Which was measured in meters/ second	2 months
Gait velocity	Which was measured in meters/ second	6 months
Step length	Which was measured in meters	Baseline
Step length	Which was measured in meters	2 months
Step length	Which was measured in meters	6 months
Cadence	Which was measured in number of steps per minute	Baseline
Cadence	Which was measured in number of steps per minute	2 months
Cadence	Which was measured in number of steps per minute	6 months
Quality	Which was measured with KOOS questionnaire	Baseline
Quality	Which was measured with KOOS questionnaire	2 months
Quality	Which was measured with KOOS questionnaire	6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 1, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 20, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): April 20, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 28, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 23, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): May 28, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 28, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 23, 2024
• Last Verified: May 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Osteoarthritis; Knee; Female; Disability; Locomotor
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Joint Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Rheumatic Diseases; Arthritis; Osteoarthritis; Osteoarthritis, Knee
• Other Study ID Numbers: RHPT-01

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No