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