The Effect of Physical Activity on Knee Osteoarthritis, Pain and Gait

Knee osteoarthritis, a chronic musculoskeletal disease, is the most prevalent type of osteoarthritis and the leading cause of disability and major healthcare costs worldwide. The pathogenesis of the disease is not fully understood and there are few non-invasive disease-modifying therapies available to patients. Therefore, there is a critical need to enhance therapeutic interventions, which requires improvement of our understanding of knee osteoarthritis pathogenesis. Increasing evidence suggests that physical activity and exercise training are cost-effective and widely available interventions for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, however, consideration of type of physical activity and optimal exercise modality are needed to reduce pain, improve gait, knee joint function, stiffness, and muscle weakness in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. The aim of this pilot clinical trial is to compare individuals with knee osteoarthritis who have not exercised with individuals that have performed retro walking exercise chosen from the systematic review and survey we have conducted previously to reduce pain and improve gait. Non-linear analyses will be performed to determine the effects of exercise intervention on gait biomechanics and stability of movement in these patients. These findings may form a basis for recommendations of exercise/physical activity interventions for the benefits of patients with knee osteoarthritis including pain reduction, mobility improvement and gait modification.

Inclusion Criteria: * Male and female * Any ethnicity * Adults over 18 years old * Meet the UK guidelines for physical activity supported by NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) and NHS (able to exercise if it is safe with regular breaks) * Otherwise, adults with clinically diagnosed knee osteoarthritis according to NICE criteria or confirmed by a healthcare professional able and willing to participate and provide written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Any musculoskeletal injury * Any conditions known to affects gait (e.g. Parkinson's disease or stroke) * Any surgical intervention in the previous 12 months on lower limbs * Surgical replacement of hip or knee joints * BMI (body mass index) over 35 * Athletes or take part in significant recreational activity * Takes any medication known to affect the gait and ability to walk * Received an intra-articular injection in the last 3 months * Have been told by medical professionals that they should not take part in any intensity exercise/physical activity