A Pragmatic Trial to Determine the Benefit of Behaviorally Enhanced Exercise Incentives and Corticosteroid Injections in Osteoarthritis of the Knee Marching On for Veterans With Osteoarthritis of the Knee

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Trial end date: 2025-12-31
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is one of the most common and disabling conditions among Veterans. Management of KOA is challenging as there are few effective treatments other than joint replacement. Importantly, low levels of physical activity in patients with knee problems might worsen pain and disability. This study aims to determine the feasibility of using methods to change behavior that use social incentives and promote physical activity through playing games and interacting with a web-based platform. The study will also evaluate an important and widely used treatment, namely corticosteroid injections. Participants will be randomized into one of 4 arms and will receive a different combination of social incentives and injections. The study will evaluate which approach is most effective at promoting physical activity and reducing pain and disability.

• Phase: Phase 3
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Veterans in VA Rheumatology or Orthopedic clinics

• Chronic knee osteoarthritis

• Indication for joint injection

• Previous joint injections for palliation

• Patient expresses interest in increasing their physical activity

• Patient is able to walk 1/2 mile per day

Exclusion Criteria:

• Intra-articular hardware or other contraindication to joint injection

• Lack of smart phone

• Acute exacerbation of osteoarthritis or knee pain

• Comorbid condition that precludes safe exercise