The TAICHIKNEE trial, evaluating the effectiveness of web-based Tai Chi interventions for individuals with knee pain due to osteoarthritis, has released updated ethics and regulatory documentation following its first year. Having transitioned from the planning to the implementation phase, the research team has reviewed and updated the minutes from their initial consultation with the Ethics and Regulatory Core.
The TAICHIKNEE trial compares the effects of web-based Tai Chi interventions against routine care for patients experiencing knee pain related to osteoarthritis. Tai Chi integrates physical, psychosocial, and behavioral components, and has shown clinically significant improvements in chronic knee osteoarthritis pain conditions. The study's primary goal is to inform the broader adoption of mind-body approaches for managing knee osteoarthritis within healthcare systems.
Study Design and Potential Impact
The trial is designed to assess whether Tai Chi can offer a non-pharmacological alternative for managing knee osteoarthritis pain. Researchers, including Wang from Tufts University School of Medicine, Roseen from Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, and Saper from the Cleveland Clinic, presented the importance of the study at the NIH Pragmatic Trials Collaboratory’s 2024 Annual Steering Committee Meeting. Lavretsky, a professor at UCLA, also contributed to the study.
The results of the TAICHIKNEE trial are expected to provide evidence supporting the use of Tai Chi as a viable treatment option for knee osteoarthritis, potentially reducing the reliance on traditional pharmacological interventions and promoting patient empowerment through self-management techniques.
