Quantification of instability in osteoarthritic knees
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Quantification of subjective instability in the osteoarthritic knee using an accelerometer
IRAS ID
228244
Contact name
Philip Riches
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Strathclyde
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 29 days
Research summary
Can a single accelerometer quantify patient-reported instability in the knee in patients attending for total knee replacement for arthritis?
Self-reported knee instability is a common and life affecting symptom in people with arthritis. However, an objective method of describing the size of this instability does not exist, and current methods of investigating it are cumbersome, involving expensive equipment and specialist facilities. Developing a small, inexpensive and easy to use tool that will allow objective evaluation of instability will allow a better understanding of the condition for clinicians, allowing better evaluation and understanding for individual patients, and the development of treatment plans for the patient group. Patients will be recruited from orthopaedic knee clinics at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital, comprising of people who are awaiting a total knee replacement for osteoarthritis. Patients will be differentiated into groups depending on their level of symptomatic instability. The study will involve measurement of walking and stair descent using an accelerometer attached with velcro to the lower leg, with corresponding knee flexion measured using an electrogoniometer. Testing will take approximately thirty minutes and will be conducted on the day of, or day before, surgery, during their inpatient admission.
Additionally, the mechanical properties of ACL - usually excised and discarded at the time of surgery - will be tested in order to correlate its effects on subjective instability
REC name
West Midlands - Edgbaston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/WM/0457
Date of REC Opinion
10 Jan 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion