Effects of functional electrical stimulation on knee joint loading
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Effects of functional electrical stimulation on knee joint loading in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee
IRAS ID
306465
Contact name
AMJ Bull
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Research Governance and Integrity Team, Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Osteoarthritis (OA) affects approximately 8.5 million people in the UK alone and is the most common cause of chronic pain, with socioeconomic costs amounting to approximately $18 billion per year for arthritis and related conditions. OA of the knee is associated with increased loading at the medial compartment of the joint, which has been shown to correlate with the risk of disease progression.
This finding has raised the prospect of intervention to reduce medial compartment loading, in order to slow disease progression. One way to modify loads across joints during movement is to modify the way in which muscles are activated. We have used functional electrical stimulation to change muscle activations in healthy subjects, and by doing so have been able to reduce loads at the knee. In order to further test whether we can use this technique to help patients, we have developed a device that incorporates electrical stimulation and motion sensing into a comfortable pair of shorts.
This study aims to test the effects of electrical stimulation, applied to muscles of the legs during movements, on the magnitude of medial knee joint loading, in patients with knee osteoarthritis. The experimental session will take place in the motion lab of Imperial College London at White City Campus, London. Patients will perform activities including walking, squatting and running while undergoing motion capture, with and without the application of electrical stimulation. The data recorded, including motion data and recordings from ground-mounted force plates, will be used to calculate measures of knee joint loading. The data will be used to determine the optimum parameters of stimulation to be used for the reduction of medial knee joint loading.REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/PR/0171
Date of REC Opinion
31 Mar 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion