Regular Swimming, Vascular Function, and Arthritis (OA)

The University of Texas System (UT)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Osteoarthritis

Treatments: Behavioral: Exercise Training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01836380

NOA26752611

Details and patient eligibility

About

Hypothesis #1: The investigators hypothesize that both swimming training and cycling training will demonstrate significant improvements in endothelium-mediated vasodilation and central artery compliance in this population and that there will be no difference in the magnitude of increases between the water-based and land-based exercise interventions.

Hypothesis #2: The investigators hypothesize that the improvements in endothelium-dependent vasodilation and arterial compliance in response to exercise training interventions will be related to the corresponding reductions in inflammatory biomarkers.

Hypothesis #3: The investigators hypothesize that both swimming exercise and cycling exercise will improve functional capacities and disease progression in middle-aged and older adults with osteoarthritis.

Full description

Middle-aged and older men and women (40-90 years old) of all races and ethnic backgrounds will serve as subjects after obtaining their written, informed consent. All the subjects will have a radiological diagnosis of osteoarthritis according to American College of Rheumatology criteria.

Enrollment: 48 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 40 to 90 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• All the subjects will have a radiological diagnosis of osteoarthritis according to American College of Rheumatology criteria
• Subjects will be sedentary (i.e., no regular physical activity for at least the prior 1 year)

Exclusion criteria

• Subjects with significant intima thickening,
• plaque formation, and/or characteristics of atherosclerosis.
• unstable cardiac or pulmonary diseases.
• joint replacement surgery in the previous year.
• intraarticular injection nor systemic steroids within previous 3 months.
• severe disabling co-morbidity that disallows receiving exercise therapy.
• excess alcohol use (>21 drinks/week).
• unwillingness to perform exercise.
• fear of water.
• mental incapability

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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48 participants in 2 patient groups

Swimming Training

Experimental group

Description:

The swimming training will be performed at two swimming pools on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin (University Aquatic Center or Gregory Gym pool). In the first 2-3 weeks a swimming instructor will provide personalized skill feedback to the subjects in the swim training group. Subjects will swim 15-20 minutes/day at a relatively low intensity of exercise while they receive swimming skill instructions. As their overall level of fitness and exercise skill improve, the intensity and duration of exercise will increase to 40-45 minutes/day at a moderate intensity of 70-75% of maximal heart rate. Exercise training will be performed three days per week.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Exercise Training

Cycling Training

Experimental group

Description:

The cycling training will be conducted in the newly-constructed Exercise Training Intervention Core-Laboratory in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education on the University of Texas campus. In the first 2-3 weeks a cycling instructor will provide personalized skill feedback to the subjects in the cycle training group. Subjects will cycle 15-20 minutes/day at a relatively low intensity of exercise while they receive cycling skill instructions. As their overall level of fitness and exercise skill improve, the intensity and duration of exercise will increase to 40-45 minutes/day at a moderate intensity of 70-75% of maximal heart rate. Exercise training will be performed three days per week.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Exercise Training