WATERinMOTION Aquatic Therapy in Obese Men With Knee Osteoarthritis

University of Sistan and Baluchestan

Status: Invitation-only

Conditions: Osteoarthritis; Knee; Obesity

Treatments: Behavioral: Aquatic Exercise; Behavioral: Land-Based Rehabilitation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06946329

9378-1403

Details and patient eligibility

About

This RCT evaluates whether WATERinMOTION aquatic therapy improves pain, function, and quality of life more effectively than land-based exercise in obese men with knee osteoarthritis (OA). We will assess clinical outcomes (WOMAC), serum biomarkers (COMP, IL-6), and real-world activity (accelerometry) at baseline, 8 weeks, and 6 months.

Full description

100 participants (BMI ≥30, age 45-65, radiographic knee OA) will be randomized to:

Aquatic group: 24 sessions over 8 weeks (3x/week) in 32°C water, progressing from buoyancy-assisted to resistance exercises.

Land group: Matched duration/intensity land-based rehabilitation. Primary outcomes: WOMAC pain/function. Secondary outcomes: SF-36 quality of life, serum COMP, 6-minute walk test, and accelerometer-measured step count.

Enrollment: 100 estimated patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 45 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Males aged 45-65
• BMI ≥30 kg/m²
• Radiographic knee OA (Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2-3)
• WOMAC pain score ≥25/50

Exclusion criteria

• Inflammatory arthritis (e.g., rheumatoid)
• Intra-articular injections within 3 months
• Contraindications to aquatic exercise

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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100 participants in 2 patient groups

Aquatic Exercise

Experimental group

Description:

Supervised WATERinMOTION sessions (60 mins, 3x/week) in heated pool. Focus on progressive resistance and mobility exercises.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Aquatic Exercise

Land-Based Rehabilitation

Active Comparator group

Description:

Matched frequency/duration land-based program emphasizing core stabilization and low-impact aerobics.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Land-Based Rehabilitation