Exercise and Pain Sensitivity

Knee Pain Clinical Trial

Official title: Exercise and Alterations in Pain Sensitivity

Status Terminated

Clinical Trial Summary

There is ample evidence that exercise therapy is beneficial with respect to pain in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. However, the pain relieving mechanisms are unknown. To enhance the efficacy of exercise therapy a deeper understanding of the involved mechanisms is needed.

Different exercise types may affect the pain sensitivity differently. It is hypothesized that non-specific exercises (i.e. exercises that does not involve the knee) reduces the processing of pain in the central nervous system (central sensitivity) to knee joint pain in healthy subjects. It is also hypothesized that exercises that involve the knee (i.e. specific knee exercises) reduce the sensitivity of pain receptors in the knee (peripheral sensitivity) in healthy subjects.

Healthy volunteers are recruited and randomised to one of four interventions: 1: Muscle strengthening exercises involving the thigh muscles; 2: Muscle strengthening exercises involving the shoulder muscles; 3: Cardio-vascular fitness exercises; or 4: Control (no exercises). The active interventions include exercises three times per week for 12 weeks. Pain sensitivity and a range of explanatory variables is measured before the interventions, after 4 weeks and after 12 weeks.

Clinical Trial Description

n/a

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Basic Science

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Knee Pain

• NCT number: NCT01351558
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Frederiksberg University Hospital
• Status: Terminated
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: May 2011
• Completion date: March 2012