Self-managed vs Supervised Exercise for Knee OA (NCT07210931) | Clinical Trial Compass
Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable
Self-managed vs Supervised Exercise for Knee OA
300 participantsStarted 2026-07-01
Plain-language summary
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common painful condition associated with pain and disability. OA healthcare costs the Danish society 4.6 billion DKK more per year than the non-OA population and we lack evidence on how best to organize and deliver care to reduce costs. Recommended first line treatment for knee OA is exercise with proven effects on symptoms. The current paradigm assumes that exercise needs to be delivered and supervised by a physiotherapist which require patients to attend a clinic at specific times and geographical locations. This is an expensive model of care and creates barriers for people that are active on the labor market or lives in remote areas with long distances to the nearest clinic. In fact, the productivity loss in Denmark associated with OA is estimated to be 12.4 billion DKK per year.
While effective on symptoms, the current model with supervised physiotherapy associates with significant shortcomings, and barriers related to patient heterogeneity, costs, accessibility, and work absenteeism.
As an alternative, a local fitness center is far more accessible as these are widely dispersed across the country, are accessible daily (including weekends) at all hours, is cheap and offers a wide variety of exercise types, classes, and equipment to accommodate individual preferences. The cost of a fitness center membership is approximately 300 DKK per month and includes exercise ad libitum. In contrast, a typical physiotherapist-supervised exercise program costs 3-4,000 DKK for a 2-month treatment with 2 weekly sessions.
Consequently, there is a need to investigate if self-managed exercise in a fitness center is cost-effective as first-line management of knee OA. To answer this question, the present trial aims to compare self-managed exercise in a fitness center to the current standard - supervised exercise. This has the potential to improve quality of care for people with knee OA by adding a cost-effective option for first line management of people with knee OA.
Who can participate
Age range
45 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion criteria
• Diagnosis of knee OA according to the NICE criteria: Adults aged 45 or over with activity-related joint pain and either no morning joint-related stiffness or morning stiffness that lasts no longer than 30 minutes.
Exclusion criteria
* Completion of a supervised therapeutic exercise program for knee OA within 3 months
* Contraindication to exercise (e.g., resting systolic blood pressure \> 200 or diastolic blood pressure \>110 mmHg, acute or reoccurring chest pain, unstable angina. uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmias, decompensated heart failure. suspected or known dissecting aortic aneurysm)
* Lack of independent mobility that requires aid for transportation to/from exercise facilities.
* Any condition or impairment that, in the opinion of the recruiting GP, makes a potential participant unsuitable for participation or which may obstruct participation (e.g. psychiatric or cognitive disorders, language barriers, or opiate dependency).
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1This trial compares self-managed exercise to supervised exercise for knee osteoarthritis — based on my current symptoms and fitness level, which approach does my doctor think would be safer and more realistic for me to follow?
2Since this trial is listed as 'not yet recruiting,' how long might it realistically be before I could actually enroll, and should I be starting any treatment now rather than waiting?
3The trial measures pain using a specific knee questionnaire called the KOOS — is my current level of knee pain severe enough that waiting to try an exercise-based study would be appropriate, or should I be considering other treatments first?
4Because this trial has no assigned phase, what does that mean for how much is already known about whether supervised versus self-managed exercise is safe and effective for people in my situation?
5If I were to join this trial and get assigned to the self-managed group, what support or guidance would I realistically have at home to make sure I'm doing the exercises correctly and not risking further joint damage?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Pain subscale of the KOOS (Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score) questionnaire