Cross-Education From Unilateral Strength and Balance Training in Older Adults With Bilateral Knee Osteoarthritis

NCT07490977 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 13/2025
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 45
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Kinesitherapy is one of the main tools in the rehabilitation of knee osteoarthritis, but is often limited due to pain, reduced functionality, and fear of falling in older adults. This study will, through three sub-studies, examine the effects of unilateral training programs on strength, movement control, balance, and pain in the contralateral leg, as well as on functionality, fall risk, and kinesiophobia in older adults with bilateral knee osteoarthritis through three sub-studies. A total of 45 participants (aged 60-80 years) with bilateral knee osteoarthritis will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: 1. combined unilateral strength and balance training; 2. unilateral balance training; 3. unilateral strength training. Strength will be measured with maximal voluntary contraction, balance using a single leg stance test on an unstable surface, movement control with an active joint position reproduction test, and functionality using the six-minute walk test and the Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index questionnaire. Pain will be assessed with the Visual Analog Scale and the Intermittent and Constant Osteoarthritis Pain questionnaire, fall risk with the Timed Up and Go test and the Falls Efficacy Scale-International questionnaire, and kinesiophobia using the TAMPA questionnaire. This study will expand knowledge on cross-transfer and its effects on symptoms in the rehabilitation of older adults with bilateral knee osteoarthritis. This research is a part of a doctoral thesis conducted under the supervision of assoc. prof. Tatjana Trošt, PhD.

Conditions

Knee Osteoarthritis (OA)

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change from baseline in balance performance in older adults with bilateral knee osteoarthritis after 8 weeks of unilateral strength and/or balance training across all three intervention groups

  From baseline (pre-intervention) to the end of the 8-week training program

Study Arms (3)

Unilateral strength and balance training group

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: 8-Week Unilateral Strength and Balance Program for the Less Affected Leg in Older Adults With Bilateral Knee Osteoarthritis

Unilateral balance training group

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: 8-Week Unilateral Balance Training Program for the Less Affected Leg in Older Adults With Bilateral Knee Osteoarthritis

Unilateral strength training group

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: 8-Week Unilateral Strength Training Program for the Less Affected Leg in Older Adults With Bilateral Knee Osteoarthritis

Interventions

8-Week Unilateral Strength and Balance Program for the Less Affected Leg in Older Adults With Bilateral Knee Osteoarthritis OTHER

Participants perform unilateral exercises with the less affected leg, combining strength and balance training. Each session lasts 50 minutes, including warm-up, main exercises (15-20 min), and relaxation. The program consists of 24 sessions over 8 weeks.

Unilateral strength and balance training group

8-Week Unilateral Balance Training Program for the Less Affected Leg in Older Adults With Bilateral Knee Osteoarthritis OTHER

Participants perform unilateral balance exercises with the less affected leg. Each 50-minute session includes warm-up, 15-20 minutes of main balance exercises, and relaxation. The program lasts 8 weeks with 24 sessions.

Unilateral balance training group

8-Week Unilateral Strength Training Program for the Less Affected Leg in Older Adults With Bilateral Knee Osteoarthritis OTHER

Participants perform unilateral strength exercises with the less affected leg. Each 50-minute session includes warm-up, 15-20 minutes of main strength exercises, and relaxation. The program lasts 8 weeks with 24 sessions.

Unilateral strength training group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 60 Years - 80 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• age 60-80 years,
• bilateral knee osteoarthritis of grade II-III according to the Kellgren-Lawrence classification

You may not qualify if:

• acute lower extremity injuries in the past year,
• taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs within the past month,
• involvement in physical therapy within the past 6 months,
• undergoing intra-articular injections and/or knee surgery within the past year,
• rheumatoid arthritis, septic arthritis, uncontrolled diabetes, other systemic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and severe cardiovascular, renal, and hepatic comorbidities

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Zagreb: lead
• University of Zagreb, The Faculty of Kinesiology: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Zagreb Faculty of Kinesiology

Zagreb, 10000, Croatia

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Osteoarthritis, Knee

Interventions

Aging

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Osteoarthritis; Arthritis; Joint Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Rheumatic Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Growth and Development; Physiological Phenomena

Central Study Contacts

Lara Juriša, PhD candidate

CONTACT

00385989165960; lara.jurisa@kif.unizg.hr

Assoc. Prof. Tatjana Trošt, PhD

CONTACT

tatjana.trost@kif.unizg.hr

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: PhD Candidate

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 18, 2026
• First Posted: March 24, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027
• Last Updated: March 24, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-05

Locations

CR (1)