Our researchers at the Kolling Institute are leading a national clinical trial to support people with hip or knee osteoarthritis become more active.
Study co-lead Dr Vicky Duong said we know that staying active is an important part of managing osteoarthritis symptoms, and yet 90 per cent of people with the condition are not meeting the national physical activity guidelines.
Our team from Osteoarthritis Clinical Research Group has launched a study to identify the best way to incorporate more activity into each day.
The trial will involve a 12-week self-guided physical activity program where participants will be offered either a detailed program and a Fitbit activity tracker, or just the assistance of the Fitbit tracker.
Dr Duong said it was important to involve the community in the design of this trial.
“Last year, we travelled around Australia to help adapt and design the program to ensure it was relevant for people right across the country,” she said.
“We hope that by listening to a broad range of communities that we have developed a program which will deliver improved results and better health outcomes.”
Co-lead Dr Sarah Kobayashi said the guidelines recommend 150 to 300 minutes of moderate physical activity a week or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous physical activity a week, or an equivalent combination of both.
“This level of activity directly reduces osteoarthritis symptoms and helps people manage the condition, so we’re looking forward to finding an evidenced-based approach to help the community reach that amount of activity,” she said.
The study has been funded by the Medical Research Future Fund and supported by Arthritis Australia state groups.
If you’re interested in joining the trial, further details can be found on the website.
The study has been approved by the NSLHD HREC 2024/ETH01898.