Exploring Massage Benefits for Arthritis of the Knee for VA Healthcare Users

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Osteoarthritis

In brief

The purpose of this study is to find out how effective and feasible an 8-week course of Swedish massage is, for reducing pain and increasing function in adults who are VA healthcare users, with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT01714869

Run by

Duke University

People needed

25

Starts

2012-11-01

Expected to finish

2013-10-01

Last updated by the study team

2013-11-25

Who can join

Age: 35 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Be a veteran enrolled in care at the Durham VA Medical Center.
• 35 years of age or greater.
• Written confirmation of OA of the knee as provided by the participant's physician.
• Radiographically-established OA of the knee.
• Pre-randomization score in a specified range on the Visual Analog Pain Scale (0 - 100 mm scale).
• Receiving care for diagnosed OA of the knee under the care of a board-certified primary care physician, with or without involvement of a board-certified rheumatologist.
• Patients with bilateral knee involvement will have the more severely affected knee designated as the study knee.
• American College of Rheumatology defined OA of the knee; specifically:
• a. Knee pain b. Satisfaction of at least three of the following six criteria: i. Age greater than 50 years ii. Stiffness < 30 minutes iii. Crepitus iv. Bony Tenderness v. Bony enlargement vi. No palpable warmth

You may not qualify if…

• Presence of rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, recurrent or active pseudo gout.
• Presence of cancer or other decompensated medical conditions that limit the ability to participate fully in all interventions, assessments, and follow-up visits.
• Signs or history of kidney or liver failure.
• Presence of asthma requiring the use of corticosteroid treatment.
• Use of oral corticosteroids within the past four weeks.
• Use of intra-articular knee depo-corticosteroids with the past three months.
• Use of intra-articular hyaluronate with the past six months.
• Arthroscopic surgery of the knee within the past year.
• Significant injury to the knee within the past six months.
• Presence of a rash or open wound over the knee.
• Unable to satisfy the treatment and follow-up requirements.
• Unable to provide written informed consent.
• Currently receiving massage therapy on a regular basis (at least twice a month).
• Knee replacement of study knee (ok if the knee not being studied has been replaced).
• History of participating in the EMBARK Phase I (2004) or II (2009) studies.

Where it is running

• Duke Integrative Medicine — Durham, North Carolina, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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