The Effects of a Knitting Program on Osteoarthritis Symptoms in Elderly Women
Condition: Osteoarthritis
MeSH terms: Osteoarthritis
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies the adherence and clinical effectiveness
      of a knitting program in older females suffering from hand osteoarthritis (HOA) to evaluate
      the acceptability of this intervention and assess the feasibility of a larger-scale RCT.

      It is a single-blind, two-arm pilot RCT with a parallel group design with 40 participants (20
      control, 20 experimental). Control participants are given an educational pamphlet and
      assigned to a waiting list. The knitting program (-8-week duration) has two components:
      bi-weekly 20-minute group knitting sessions and 20-minute home daily knitting on the 5
      remaining weekdays. Measures include knitting adherence (implementation outcomes) as well as
      stiffness, pain, functional status, hand physical activity level, patient's global impression
      of change, health-related quality of life, self-efficacy, and grip strength (clinical
      outcomes measured throughout the 8-week program and 4 weeks after the intervention).
    

Detailed description: 
      Background: Exercise therapy is effective in reducing symptoms and disability associated with
      hand osteoarthritis (HOA) but has low adherence. An intervention consisting in a meaningful
      occupation, such as knitting, may improve adherence to treatment. This pilot randomized
      controlled trial (RCT) studies the adherence and clinical effectiveness of a knitting program
      in older females suffering from HOA to evaluate the acceptability of this intervention and
      assess the feasibility of a larger-scale RCT.

      Methods: Single-blind, two-arm pilot RCT with a parallel group design with 40 participants
      (20 control, 20 experimental). Control participants are given an educational pamphlet and
      assigned to a waiting list. The knitting program (-8-week duration) has two components:
      bi-weekly 20-minute group knitting sessions and 20-minute home daily knitting on the 5
      remaining weekdays. Measures included knitting adherence (implementation outcomes) as well as
      stiffness, pain, functional status, hand physical activity level, patient's global impression
      of change, health-related quality of life, self-efficacy, and grip strength (clinical
      outcomes measured throughout the 8-week program and 4 weeks after the intervention).
    

Intervention name(s): Knitting and education (pamphlet); Education (pamphlet)
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): Pamphlet and knitting program (-8-week duration). The knitting program has two components: bi-weekly 20-minute group knitting sessions and 20-minute home daily knitting on the 5 remaining weekdays.; Receive only the pamphlet, not the knitting program.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: Single-blind, two-arm pilot RCT with a parallel group design
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: hand; osteoarthritis; exercise; knitting; women; pain; stiffness