Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Tai Chi or Hydrotherapy for People With Osteoarthritis of the Hip(s) or Knee(s)
Brief Summary: The aim of this study is to determine, in the framework of a randomized controlled clinical trial, whether Tai Chi can affect measurable improvements in self-reported outcomes such as pain, physical function and psychological well-being in people with osteoarthritis (OA) mainly affecting the hips or knees. The effectiveness of Tai Chi will be compared with both a non-intervention control group as well as with a formal exercise program, hydrotherapy. Hydrotherapy has long been considered an effective intervention for people with chronic OA although scientific evidence is weak at present. The main study hypotheses are that Tai Chi or hydrotherapy can significantly decrease pain and physical limitations; improve health-related quality of life; and promote psychological well being in patients with OA of the hip(s) or knee(s); and that Tai Chi and hydrotherapy are of equal efficacy.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Osteoarthritis of hip or knee according to the clinical criteria of the American College of Rheumatology

Exclusion Criteria:

* other pathology explaining the complaints;
* complaints in less than 10 out of 30 days;
* treatment for these complaints with exercise therapy in the preceding six months;
* under 50 or over 80 years of age;
* indication for hip or knee replacement within one year;
* contraindication for exercise therapy;
* inability to understand the Dutch language;
* a high level of physical function (since patients who perform at a high level of physical function at baseline do not need to increase their level of physical function. A high level of physical function was operationalized on a score of less than two on the sections walking ability and physical function of the Algofunctional index)
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Symptomatic osteoarthritis of the hip(s) or knee(s) according to American College of Rheumatology (ACR) clinical and radiographic (hip) criteria.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Currently participating in recreational physical activity more than twice a week.
* Unable to walk indoors for more than 10 minutes without a walking aid.
* Unable to exercise at a moderate level due to major co-morbidity.
* Incontinent, afraid of water or uncontrolled epilepsy.
* Low back pain referring to limbs.
* Joint replacement surgery in past year.
* Arthroscopic surgery or intra-articular injections in knee or hip in past 3 months.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* community-dwelling women aged 65 years or over
* had a symptomatic OA of knee diagnosis for at least 6 months
* had no previous training in any form of yoga; and
* were not currently participating in a supervised exercise program
* cognitively intact

Exclusion Criteria:

* symptoms of joint locking;
* instability indicated by chronic use of a knee brace, cane, walker, or wheelchair;
* a corticosteroid injection in the symptomatic joint within three months of study entry;
* a hyaluronic acid injection in the symptomatic joint within six months of study entry;
* a history of knee surgery within the last two years or a joint replacement at any point;
* individuals who had self-reported significant medical comorbidities that might preclude exercise participation such as: a) uncontrolled high blood pressure or existing heart condition; and b) other comorbid condition with overlapping symptoms (i.e. fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis) were also be excluded.
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 55 or older
* Body Mass Index (BMI) \<= 40 kg/m
* Pain on more than half the days of the past month during at least one of the following activities (walking, going up or down stairs, standing upright, or in bed at night
* Radiographic evidence of knee OA, defined as the presence of osteophytes in the tibiofemoral compartment and/or the patellofemoral compartment, as assessed on standing anterior/posterior and lateral views
* WOMAC pain subscale score, at least 1 of 5 (range 0 to 100 each) \>= 40 (visual analog version)
* Physically able to participate in both the Tai Chi and stretching and education programs
* Willing to complete the 12-week study, including twice a week Tai Chi or stretching and education sessions
* Willing to abstain from Tai Chi until completion of the program, if randomized to the stretching and education sessions
* Willing to abstain from stretching and education sessions until completion of the program, if randomized to Tai Chi

Exclusion Criteria:

* Prior experience with Tai Chi or other similar types of Complementary and Alternative Medicine such as Qi gong, yoga, and acupuncture since these share some of the principles of Tai Chi
* Dementia, neurological disease, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, metabolic disease, renal disease, liver disease, or other serious medical conditions limiting ability to participate in either the Tai Chi or stretching programs as determined by primary care physicians
* Any intra-articular steroid injections in the previous 3 months or reconstructive surgery on the affected knee
* Any intra-articular Synvisc or Hyalgan injections in the previous 6 months
* Inability to pass the Mini-Mental Status examination (with a score below 24)
* Enrollment in any other clinical trial within the last 30 days
* Plan to permanently relocate from the region during the trial period
* Non English Speaking

Answer: B