Combining Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Yoga for Improved Pain Management for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Pilot and Feasibility Trial

Status: Recruiting
Location: See all (3) locations...
Intervention Type: Procedure
Study Type: Interventional
Study Phase: Not Applicable
SUMMARY

People with knee arthritis often experience constant pain, and current treatments aren't very effective. This can lead to limited movement and more health problems. Knee arthritis is a big part of healthcare costs in Canada, and its pain is a major reason people see doctors. The pain is linked to complex nervous system changes, making current treatments, like exercise, not very successful. To address this, researchers suggest a new approach combining two things: a brain stimulation technique called Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) and yoga. TDCS helps with pain by changing how the brain works, and yoga, a safe practice, focuses on overall well-being. Together, the investigators aim to improve how the nervous system works from top to bottom. The research project wants to change how the arthritis pain is being managed by focusing on how it works. The investigators plan to test this combo in a study comparing real tDCS plus yoga with fake tDCS plus yoga. The investigators will look not only at pain but also at other measures related to pain and how the nervous system works. This new mix could be a meaningful way to reduce pain for people with knee arthritis.

Eligibility
Participation Requirements
Sex: All
Minimum Age: 45
Healthy Volunteers: t
View:

• community dwelling adults from Sherbrooke, Quebec, Hamilton and London, Ontario fulfilling the NICE criteria for KOA

• ≥45 years of age

• Diagnosis of Knee osteoarthritis OR

• Having movement-related joint pain with either no morning knee stiffness or stiffness of 30 minutes or less AND

• Experiencing an average pain intensity of ≥3 /10 in the past month

Locations
Other Locations
Canada
McMaster University
RECRUITING
Hamilton
University of Western Ontario
RECRUITING
London
Université de Sherbrooke
RECRUITING
Sherbrooke
Contact Information
Primary
Lisa Carlesso, PhD
carlesl@mcmaster.ca
2896805640
Backup
Guillaume Leonard, PhD
Guillaume.Leonard2@USherbrooke.ca
(819) 780-2220
Time Frame
Start Date: 2024-10-20
Estimated Completion Date: 2025-12-31
Participants
Target number of participants: 68
Treatments
Experimental: Active tDCS
Active tDCS Arm:~In Week 1, participants in the Active tDCS arm will undergo five in-person visits for the administration of active transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS). Subsequently, from Weeks 2 to 9, participants will receive weekly active tDCS sessions preceding the scheduled yoga sessions.~For the active tDCS sessions, a constant current stimulator will be employed to deliver direct current through a pair of surface sponge electrodes (5×7 cm) soaked in saline. Participants will undergo anodal stimulation targeting the primary motor cortex (M1) contralateral to the most painful site (C3 or C4 based on the electroencephalogram 10/20 system). The cathodal electrode will be positioned on the supraorbital area contralateral to the anode. During active tDCS, a constant anodal current of 2 mA will be administered for 20 minutes, a duration known to enhance cortical excitability and alleviate pain. T
Sham_comparator: Sham tDCS
Sham tDCS Arm:~tDCS: In Week 1, participants in the Sham tDCS arm will attend five in-person visits for the administration of sham transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS). From Weeks 2 to 9, participants will receive weekly sham tDCS sessions before the scheduled yoga sessions.~Constant current stimulator will be used to deliver direct current through a pair of surface sponge electrodes (5×7 cm) soaked in saline. Participants will undergo sham stimulation targeting the primary motor cortex (M1) contralateral to the most painful site (C3 or C4 based on the electroencephalogram 10/20 system).~During sham tDCS, the electrodes will be placed in the same montage as the active tDCS; however, current will only be applied for the initial and final 30 seconds of the 20-minute session. Consequently, participants will experience the sensation of current ramping up and down but will receive no current for the remaining stimulation period.
Related Therapeutic Areas
Sponsors
Leads: McMaster University
Collaborators: The Arthritis Society, Canada

This content was sourced from clinicaltrials.gov