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  • Research Completed
Track OA: Improving physical activity using a wearable activity tracker for patients with knee osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis-5.5-1
Scientific Study Title:
Track OA: Improving physical activity using a wearable activity tracker for patients with knee osteoarthritis
Start Date:
  • January 2015
End Date:
  • Fall of 2015
Research Category
Tags
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Linda Li
Senior Scientist, Implementation Science, BSc(PT), MSc, PhD, FCAHS
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Jenny Leese
MA, PhD, Post-Doctoral Fellow

Why do this research?

Reason For Research

For people with arthritis, doing physical activity can reduce pain and improve their ability to move around. Despite these benefits, less than half of Canadians with arthritis are physically active. Many do not have appropriate access to health professionals to support them in staying active safely.

A number of online physical activity monitoring tools are available. Examples include online diaries, pedometers, multisensory devices and global positioning system (GPS) monitors. We will examine factors that can influence arthritis patients’ use of these tools from the perspectives of patients, health professionals, and health care decision makers. This study takes an important step forward in discovering how people with arthritis could use these tools with their health professionals to support their physical activity.

Methodology

Execution of Research

Physical activity is a well-known way to help decrease symptoms of pain and increase mobility for patients living with knee osteoarthritis. Despite this, a recent study found that less than 15% of people with knee osteoarthritis were getting the recommended 150 minutes or more of physical activity per week. TRACK-OA is a pilot study to test a new program that uses wearable activity trackers to help people with knee pain set goals and get active at a pace that’s right for them.

The program will involve:

  1. A group education session
  2. The use of a Fitbit Flex – a wireless physical activity tracking device
  3. Telephone activity counseling by a registered physiotherapist

The goal of this study is to test the feasibility of this new program as well as assess whether or not it helps people with knee osteoarthritis increase their physical activity time and reduce their sedentary time.

Related Publications

Li LC, Sayre EC, Xie H, Clayton C, Feehan LM. A Community-Based Physical Activity Counselling Program for People With Knee Osteoarthritis: Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy of the Track-OA Study. JMIR Publications. doi: 10.2196/mhealth.7863. To view publication, click here.

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