Abstract
Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common painful and disabling condition that affects older individuals. Proprioceptive training programs in the form of kinesthesia, balance and agility (KBA) exercises have been reported to be beneficial for individuals with knee OA. However, the most optimal treatment dosage of KBA exercise is still unclear. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of different frequencies of KBA treatment (i.e. twice-weekly or thrice-weekly) in adults with knee OA.Methods: A single (assessor) blind, three-arm parallel, multi-center randomized controlled trial will be conducted. Eighty-four adults with knee OA will be recruited from four tertiary hospitals in Northwestern Nigeria and randomly assigned into one of three intervention groups; twice-weekly KBA (n = 28), thrice-weekly KBA (n = 28), and conventional physiotherapy or control (n = 28) in the ratio of 1:1:1. Participants in the conventional therapy group will receive two sessions of brief patient education, and 16 sessions of ultrasound therapy, stretching and strengthening exercises for 8 weeks. Participants in the two different KBA groups will receive KBA exercise according to the designed sessions for 8 weeks in addition to the conventional therapy. All groups will be assessed pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention and at 8 weeks, 3-month, 4-month, and 6-month post-randomization. The primary outcome will be physical function (Ibadan Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis Outcome Measure) while the secondary outcomes will be pain (Visual Analogue Scale for pain), knee stability (Knee Outcome Survey-Activities of Daily Living Scale), proprioception (electronic goniometer), and quality of life (Osteoarthritis Knee and Hip Quality of Life Questionnaire).Discussion: Findings of this study may provide evidence on the effectiveness of KBA exercise and the ideal number of sessions needed to achieve the highest effectiveness in adults with knee OA.Trial registration: Pan African Clinical Trials Registry, (PACTR201810713260138), Retrospectively registered on 28 November 2017.
Lifestyle intervention to improve quality of life and prevent weight gain after renal transplantation: Design of the Active Care after Transplantation (ACT) randomized controlled trial
