Effect of Short-term Motor Training on Accuracy and Precision of Knee Movement in Human With and Without Knee Pain

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The objects of this research are to investigate the ability of the motor learning and test the possible differences between younger and older healthy human, and between non-pain and acute experimental pain and chronic clinical pain conditions.

Detailed Description
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The project consists of four experimental studies. In the first experiment, younger and older healthy human subjects are involved in a short-term neuromuscular training on the accuracy and precision of knee movement to investigate the possible age effect of the motor learning. The second experiment focuses on the experimental pain on the learning effect of the younger subjects. The third experiment will investigate a group of knee osteoarthritis patients to show the influence of chronic pain on the motor training compared with age-, gender-matched pain free subjects. 3D camera tracking system will be used to record the knee movements at the baseline and after 6-day motor task training. The variability in amplitude of the values of knee movements was transformed to percentage in relation to the target position (accuracy) or to the mean position (precision). The results of the study will contribute to both basic and clinical understanding of the mechanisms related to knee movement control and influences of varies painful conditions.

Official Title
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Effect of Short-term Motor Training on Accuracy and Precision of Knee Movement in Human With and Without Knee Pain

Conditions
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Isotonic Saline, Hypertonic Saline, Healthy Eld Human, Knee Pain Chronic

Intervention / Treatment
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* Drug: Hypertonic saline
* Drug: isotonic saline
* Other: Motor training


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: • Aged 18-30 or 50-65 years Free from ongoing or chronic pain Right dominant leg Speak and understand English Aged 50-65 years. Diagnosed with knee OA (according to American College of Rheumatology classification) with pain in left or both knees for more than six months Have ongoing pain rated above 2 on a 0-10 Visual Analogues Scale (VAS) in the previous week. Right dominant leg Speak and understand English Aged 50-65 years Diagnosed with knee OA Have had total knee arthroplasty on left or both knees Right dominant leg Speak and understand English Exclusion Criteria: • Pregnancy or intent to become pregnant, breast feeding Regular use of analgesics, including simple analgesia and NSAIDs Frequent recreational drug or alcohol use History of knee joint pathology or injury Previous neurologic, musculoskeletal or mental illnesses Practicing sport activities on a regular basis Lack of ability to cooperate Regular use of analgesics, including analgesia and NSAIDs for the last 24 hours Frequent recreational drug or alcohol use Previous neurologic, musculoskeletal or mental illnesses Practicing sports activities on a regular basis Lack of ability to cooperate Regular use of analgesics, including analgesia and NSAIDs for the last 24 hours Frequent recreational drug or alcohol use Other disorders or injuries in the knee joints Previous neurologic, musculoskeletal or mental illnesses Practicing sports activities on a regular basis Lack of ability to cooperate

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: Hypertonic saline<br>A bolus injection (0.25 ml) of hypertonic saline (5%) is injected into the left infrapatellar fat pad. | Drug: Hypertonic saline<br>* A bolus injection (0.25 ml) of hypertonic saline (5%) into the left infrapatellar fat pad.<br>Other: Motor training<br>* All the subjects recruited need to have a short-term motor task training at home. 30 times a session, totally 2 sessions a day for 6 days<br>|
| Placebo Comparator: Isotonic saline<br>A bolus injection (0.25 ml) of isotonic saline (0.9 %) is injected into the left infrapatellar fat pad. | Drug: isotonic saline<br>* A bolus injection (0.25 ml) of isotonic saline (5%) into the left infrapatellar fat pad.<br>Other: Motor training<br>* All the subjects recruited need to have a short-term motor task training at home. 30 times a session, totally 2 sessions a day for 6 days<br>|
| Experimental: Motor training<br>All the subjects recruited need to have a short-term motor task training at home. 30 times a session, totally 2 sessions a day for 6 days | Other: Motor training<br>* All the subjects recruited need to have a short-term motor task training at home. 30 times a session, totally 2 sessions a day for 6 days<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| knee movement assessment | There are two sessions in total, seperated by a 6 days motor training. Using 3D camera to calculate the accuracy and precision of knee movements at 30, 45, 60 degree respectively both with and without visual feedback (baseline), before and after motor training, also before and after injection. | Change from baseline, up to 7 days after the first session | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Assessment of pain | Immediately following the injection, participants will be instructed to rate the pain intensity for ten minutes using a digital visual analogue scale (VAS; eVas Software: Aalborg University, Denmark), on a tablet.The scale will be measured from 0 to10, where 0 represents 'no pain' and 10 represents 'worst pain imaginable'. | Only on day 7 (second session), up to 24 hours |