The Feasibility of a Virtual/Home-based OA Treatment Program in Older Adults With OA and Multimorbidity

November 2, 2026 updated by: Lindsey.A.MacFarlane, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

Knee Osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of chronic joint pain. Although clinical guidelines recommend weight loss and regular physical activity as first line treatments this can be difficult for patients to do. This study aims to better understand what makes it harder or easier for patients to participate in weight management or exercise programs and to design a weight and exercise program specifically tailored to older adults managing chronic health issues.

Based on input from patients and providers we will design and pilot a virtual exercise and weight management program to help patients with knee osteoarthritis in their home. Participants will be asked to fill out questionnaires about their knee pain and have phone or video check-ins with the study team to monitor progress.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

50

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

65 years and older (Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Clinician-diagnosed osteoarthritis of the knee
  • Obesity (BMI >30)
  • Cardiovascular disease and/or diabetes mellitus
  • English speaking

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Inflammatory arthritis
  • Antecedent acute trauma
  • Consistent use of a wheelchair
  • Moderate to severe dementia

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Home-based exercise and weight management program

The foundation of the program will be based on current activity as well as weight guidelines and recommendations; adjustments will be made to maximize facilitators and minimize barriers identified in previous studies.
Behavioral: Home-based exercise and weight management program

This is the only intervention that will be assigned to participants. Program will be based on participant's current activity level and current weight guidelines.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score (KOOS)
Time Frame: 3 and 6 months

A valid, reliable, and responsive scale developed for use in studies of knee problems including osteoarthritis.
3 and 6 months
Prospective preference assessment
Time Frame: Baseline

Descriptive feasibility outcome, a 5 point likert scale used to determine patient willingness to participate in the research.
Baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Use, dose, and frequency of analgesics
Time Frame: 3 and 6 months

Patient-reported counts of the use, dose, and frequency of pain medications used, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
3 and 6 months
Self-reported current weight
Time Frame: 3 and 6 months

Patients will be asked to self report their current weight at the defined time points
3 and 6 months
Participant satisfaction and adherence
Time Frame: 3 and 6 months

Patient satisfaction will be measured using a 5 point Likert scale for a series of questions aimed at perceived effectiveness of the intervention, ease of use and likeliness of continuing in the intervention
3 and 6 months
The Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE)
Time Frame: 3 and 6 months

A recommended and reliable assessment for physical activity in older adults that has demonstrated positive correlation with Actigraph monitor data
3 and 6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

Collaborators

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

May 1, 2027

Primary Completion (Estimated)

November 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

January 1, 2029

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 2, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 2, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

November 6, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

November 6, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 2, 2026

Last Verified

November 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • STUDY02003585
  • 1P20GM161873-01 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

The phenotypic data associated with enrolled participants will be shared by depositing these data in the Open Science Framework data repository. Additional data documentation and de-identified IPD including demographics, diagnoses, and outcomes will be deposited. Resources such as study protocols and statistical analyses codes will also be made available.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

Outcome data will be deposited into the Open Science Framework repository as soon as possible but no later than within one year of the completion of the funded project period for the parent away or upon acceptance of the data for publication, or public disclosure of a submitted patent application, whichever is earlier. Data will remain available for a period of 5 years.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Data and supporting information will be shared with investigators working in accordance to guidelines set by the data repository. Meta-analysis data and associated phenotypic data, along with data content, format, and organization will be made available to investigators through the Open Science Framework data repository.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ICF
  • ANALYTIC_CODE
  • CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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