Comparing Aerobic and Therapeutic Exercises for Reducing Knee Pain in Osteoarthritis A 10-Week Randomized Clinical Trial for Adults Aged 40 to 75

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are comparing two exercise approaches in people aged 40 to 75 with knee osteoarthritis. The study aims to find out which exercise method better increases exercise-induced hypoalgesia, or reduced pain sensitivity, measured by pressure pain threshold changes at the knee during sessions across a 10-week program. This is a randomized clinical trial with 90 participants divided into two groups. One group will perform supervised aerobic exercise using a recumbent stationary bicycle three times a week, controlling effort with the Borg scale to target light to moderate exertion. The other group will follow a supervised therapeutic exercise program including resistance, neuromuscular, mobility, and balance training, also three times weekly for 10 weeks. Exercise sessions last about 60 minutes for the therapeutic group and include warm up, work phases, and cool down for the cycling group. Participants will be assessed at the start and after 10 weeks. Within-session measurements of pressure pain threshold will be taken during weeks 1, 4, 7, and 10. Additional outcomes include pain intensity, knee health status, functional performance, muscle strength, and adherence. Safety is monitored by checking vital signs and knee pain during each session. The study will analyze changes in pain threshold and other clinical outcomes to compare the two exercise strategies.

Efficacy of Aerobic Exercise Versus Therapeutic Exercises on Exercise-induced Hypoalgesia in Knee Osteoarthritis