Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Yoga for Knee Osteoarthritis (NCT06228573)
🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)
People with knee arthritis often experience constant pain, and current treatments aren't very effective. This can lead to limited movement and more health problems. Knee arthritis is a big part of healthcare costs in Canada, and its pain is a major reason people see doctors. The pain is linked to complex nervous system changes, making current treatments, like exercise, not very successful. To address this, researchers suggest a new approach combining two things: a brain stimulation technique called Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) and yoga. TDCS helps with pain by changing how the brain works, and yoga, a safe practice, focuses on overall well-being. Together, the investigators aim to improve how the nervous system works from top to bottom. The research project wants to change how the arthritis pain is being managed by focusing on how it works. The investigators plan to test this combo in a study comparing real tDCS plus yoga with fake tDCS plus yoga. The investigators will look not only at pain but also at other measures related to pain and how the nervous system works. This new mix could be a meaningful way to reduce pain for people with knee arthritis.
Who can join: To join this study, participants generally need to meet the listed inclusion criteria (5 items) and avoid the listed exclusions (16 items).
Location: McMaster University — Hamilton, Ontario
📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener
Instant ChecklistCheck every box below. If you can check all of them, you may meet the study's basic screening requirements (final eligibility is confirmed by the site team).
Usually NOT eligible if any of the following apply:
- Exclusion Criteria:
- Systemic inflammatory arthritis.
- Any knee injection in the past 3 months.
- Inability to independently get up and down from the floor.
- Lower limb trauma or surgery within the last 6 months.
- Current participation in another OA clinical trial.
- Use of mobility aids.
- Currently receiving care for KOA pain (e.g., physiotherapy).
- Planned absences exceeding 1 week.
- Contraindications to transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) such as neurological or neuropsychiatric conditions.
- History of brain surgery or tumor.
- Metallic implants.
🔍 Extracted verbatim from the official NIH eligibility criteria. Always confirm with the study coordinator.
📍 All Participating Trial Locations (3 Sites)
- McMaster University — Hamilton, Ontario
- University of Western Ontario — London, Ontario
- Université de Sherbrooke — Sherbrooke, Quebec
💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights
- 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
- Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
- Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.