Use of a Smart Ring in Measuring Health Parameters in Osteoarthritis

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Exploring the Use of a Smart Ring in Measuring Health Parameters in People with Osteoarthritis (Smart-OA)

• IRAS ID

  362289

• Contact name

  Yeliz Prior

• Contact email

  y.prior@salford.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Salford

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 8 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common long-term condition that causes pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility in the joints, especially the knees and hips. Many people with OA also struggle with poor sleep, which can make their symptoms worse and affect their quality of life. Despite this, sleep is rarely measured accurately in OA research.

  This study (called SMART-OA) will explore whether a wearable smart ring called the Oura Ring can be used to measure sleep more reliably than traditional sleep questionnaires. The Oura Ring is a small, lightweight device worn on the finger that tracks sleep, body temperature, heart rate, and other health signals.

  We will invite adults with hip or knee OA—mainly those waiting for joint replacement—to take part. Participants will be asked to wear the Oura Ring for four weeks and complete a short series of questionnaires about their sleep, joint symptoms, anxiety, and mood. They will also answer questions about how comfortable and acceptable they found wearing the ring.

  The study will help us understand:

  - Whether the Oura Ring provides more accurate sleep data than standard self-report tools
  - How mood, pain, and fatigue affect sleep in people with OA
  - Whether using smart wearables like the Oura Ring is practical and acceptable for future research in this population

  This is a non-treatment (observational) study. Participants can withdraw at any time, and their personal data will be kept private and secure. The findings will inform the design of future clinical studies on sleep and self-management in OA.

• REC name

  London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  25/PR/1446

• Date of REC Opinion

  28 Nov 2025

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion