Knee Arthritis OsteoarthritisNCT07198204
Different Hold Durations in Isometric Exercises
A study testing isometric exercises, therapeutic ultrasound and Transcutanous electrical nerve stimulation in people with Knee Arthritis Osteoarthritis, run by University of Hail at 1 site in Egypt.
Trial summary
this stuy tries to evaulate the best contraction (hold time) during isometric effort that can provide the best therapeutic effects on muscular performance in patients with knee osteoarthritis Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 40 to 65 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Knee Arthritis Osteoarthritis
- What is being tested?
- isometric exercises, therapeutic ultrasound and Transcutanous electrical nerve stimulation
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 127 participants
- Where
- 1 siteEgypt
- Study dates
- 30 Jan 2026to 30 Jan 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 40 to 65 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- prediagnosed case of knee OA as per the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and radiological evidence of primary osteoarthritis of grade 3 or less on the Kellgren Lawrence scale;
- age between 40-65 years, including both men and women.
- unilateral or bilateral involvement (in the case of bilateral involvement, the more symptomatic knee was included).
Who cannot join
- Other knee joint pathologies, eg, Chondromalacia patella, plica syndrome,
- Neurological disorders.
- Patients having lower extremity injury/surgeries in the past 6 months,
- Hip or knee fractures or deformity,
- joint infections and inflammatory joint disease,
- physical therapy on the knee within the last 3 months or steroid injections,
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Effect of Isometric Exercise Duration on Muscle Strength, Pain, and Function in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial
this stuy tries to evaulate the best contraction (hold time) during isometric effort that can provide the best therapeutic effects on muscular performance in patients with knee osteoarthritis
Read the detailed description
Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common degenerative disease characterized by the gradual degeneration and loss of joint cartilage, accompanied by bone proliferation. These pathological changes lead to joint pain, stiffness, and limited mobility in affected individuals (Sharma, 2021). The development of KOA, usually associated with various risk factors including age, gender, obesity, genetics, and joint injuries, severely affects patients' quality of life and imposes a heavy economic burden on society (Katz et al., 2021). Research indicates that the global prevalence of KOA has increased significantly since 1990 and is expected to continue rising until 2050, posing a major challenge to global public health.(Steinmetz et al., 2023) Currently, there are various treatment methods for KOA, including pharmacotherapy, surgical treatment, and physical therapy (Duong et al., 2023). Although pharmacotherapy can effectively alleviate symptoms, long-term use may lead to a series of side effects.
Due to its low impact and reduced joint stress, isometric exercise may be more suitable for patients sensitive to joint stress or at higher risk; however, the optimal duration for isometric exercises remains controversial and varies. For instance, Folland et al. compared the strength gains produced by isometric training (with contraction duration of 2 seconds) at four joint angles with conventional dynamic training(Folland et al., 2005). In another study, Kubo et al. investigated the effects of static and dynamic training on the stiffness and blood volume of the human tendon, using a training regimen of 10 contractions of 15-s duration for isometric knee extensions (Kubo et al., 2009). Additionally, Anwer \& Alghadir utilized a 5-second duration for isometric quadriceps contractions and hip adduction exercises. In contrast, the Straight Leg Raising (SLR) exercise was maintained for a contraction time of 10 seconds to assess the effects of isometric quadriceps exercises on individuals with knee osteoarthritis.
Understanding the isometric exercise parameters, such as duration, that achieve a desired adaptive response in muscle and tendon would benefit optimizing results. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to compare the effect of isometric exercise duration on muscle strength, pain, and function in patients with KOA.
- Conditions
- Knee Arthritis Osteoarthritis
- Being tested
- isometric exercises, therapeutic ultrasound, Transcutanous electrical nerve stimulation
- Keywords
- knee, arthritis, strength, contraction time, isometric
- Medical subject headings
- Arthritis
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
isometric exercisesOther
Isometric quadriceps exercise: Patients lie in a supine position. A rolled-up towel was put beneath the knee. They were instructed to maximally activate their thigh muscles to straighten their knee and hold the contraction for 5 seconds (Group A), 10 seconds (Group B), or 20 seconds (Group C).
therapeutic ultrasoundOther
all patients will reciece ultrasound for 5 minutes using 1MHz frequency, 0.8 wc2, 5cm2 head with adequate gel as a coupling medium
Transcutanous electrical nerve stimulationOther
all participants will recieve TENS for 30 minutes per session. the parameters will be Burst TENS, with main frequency of 100Hz, burst frequency of 4 Hz, intensity to the comfortable muscle twitch, electrodes size according to the size of the patients knee.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| group 1 | Experimental | The subjects in this group will perform isometric exercises, including isometric quadriceps, straight-leg raising, and isometric hip adduction exercises for 5 seconds.
All exercises will be performed in sets of 12 repetitions: one set twice a day for the 1st week, which will be progressed weekly until three sets twice a day by 3th week. Allow 5 seconds of rest between each repetition and 3 minutes of rest between sets, with a total contraction time of 60 to 180 seconds per session at 30 to 50% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). Receives: Other: isometric exercises; Other: therapeutic ultrasound; Other: Transcutanous electrical nerve stimulation |
| group 2 | Experimental | The subjects in this group will perform isometric exercises, including isometric quadriceps, straight leg raising, and isometric hip adduction exercise for 10 sec.
All exercises will be performed in sets of 6 repetitions: one set twice a day for the 1st week, which will be progressed weekly until three sets twice a day by 3th week. Allow 10 seconds of rest between each repetition and 3 minutes of rest between sets, with a total contraction time of 60 to 180 seconds per session at 30 to 50% of MVC. Receives: Other: isometric exercises; Other: therapeutic ultrasound; Other: Transcutanous electrical nerve stimulation |
| group 3 | Experimental | The subjects in this group will perform isometric exercises, including isometric quadriceps, straight leg raising, and isometric hip adduction exercise for 20 sec.
All exercises will be performed in sets of 3 repetitions: one set twice a day for the 1st week, which will be progressed weekly until three sets twice a day by 3th week. Allow 20 seconds of rest between each repetition and 3 minutes of rest between sets, with a total contraction time of 60 to 180 seconds per session at 30 to 50% of MVC. Receives: Other: isometric exercises; Other: therapeutic ultrasound; Other: Transcutanous electrical nerve stimulation |
| control group | Active comparator | The control group will receive ultrasound therapy and TENS only. Receives: Other: therapeutic ultrasound; Other: Transcutanous electrical nerve stimulation |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
pain by numeric pain rating scale
The Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) is the simplest and most commonly used numeric scale to rate pain, ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain). The NPRS will be used for subjective pain measurement, which has good test-retest reliability
Measured: at baseline and after 1month of trreatment
Function using Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis
We will focus only on stiffness and physical function. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) has been widely used by clinicians in assessing patients with knee OA since it was developed in 1986 (Bellamy, 1995) to evaluate the symptoms of pain, stiffness, and physical function in patients with hip and/or knee OA. It consists of 24 questions and is divided into 3 subgroups: the pain subgroup consists of 5 questions, the stiffness subgroup consists of 2 questions, and the physical function subgroup consists of 17 questions. Each question receives a value between 0 and 4, and the total score is calculated as follows: no difficulty is scored as 0, mild as 1, moderate as 2, severe as 3, and extreme as 4. Higher scores indicate greater physical dysfunction and disability, and thereby worse health-related quality of life
Measured: will be assessed at baseline and after 1 month of treatement
function using Five Times Sit to Stand Test
The muscle strength of the lower limbs was measured by the Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand Test (FTSST), in which participants rise from a chair and return to a seated position as quickly as possible with their arms folded across their chests. The time to complete five repetitions was recorded for two separate trials, with a 1-minute rest between each trial. The mean of the two trials was computed and used in the analysis
Measured: at baseline and after 1month of treatment
muscle strength using the one-repetition maximum (1RM) test for knee extension
1RM test has good-to-excellent test-retest reliability. the participants will be asked to perform active knee extension against different pregressive increasing weigths to determine the 1 RM. 2 minutes rest will be allowed before each contraction effort to allow recovery of the tested muscle.
Measured: at baseline and after 1 month of treatement
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted30 Sep 2025
- Study start30 Jan 2026
- Primary completion30 Jan 2026
- Study completion30 Jan 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Knee Arthritis OsteoarthritisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 127 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Hail
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Hisham Mohamed Hussein, University of Hail
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07198204
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- FPTBSUREC/1207/14925
- Status last verified
- Sep 2025
- First submitted
- 15 Sep 2025
- Last updated
- 11 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: data will be used in future research
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 11 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effect of Isometric Exercise Duration on Muscle Strength, Pain, and Function in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07198204
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- FPTBSUREC/1207/14925
- Conditions
- Knee Arthritis Osteoarthritis
- Keywords
- knee, arthritis, strength, contraction time, isometric
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 127 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of HailUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 30 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Jan 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 30 Sep 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
this stuy tries to evaulate the best contraction (hold time) during isometric effort that can provide the best therapeutic effects on muscular performance in patients with knee osteoarthritis
Detailed description
Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common degenerative disease characterized by the gradual degeneration and loss of joint cartilage, accompanied by bone proliferation. These pathological changes lead to joint pain, stiffness, and limited mobility in affected individuals (Sharma, 2021). The development of KOA, usually associated with various risk factors including age, gender, obesity, genetics, and joint injuries, severely affects patients' quality of life and imposes a heavy economic burden on society (Katz et al., 2021). Research indicates that the global prevalence of KOA has increased significantly since 1990 and is expected to continue rising until 2050, posing a major challenge to global public health.(Steinmetz et al., 2023) Currently, there are various treatment methods for KOA, including pharmacotherapy, surgical treatment, and physical therapy (Duong et al., 2023). Although pharmacotherapy can effectively alleviate symptoms, long-term use may lead to a series of side effects.
Due to its low impact and reduced joint stress, isometric exercise may be more suitable for patients sensitive to joint stress or at higher risk; however, the optimal duration for isometric exercises remains controversial and varies. For instance, Folland et al. compared the strength gains produced by isometric training (with contraction duration of 2 seconds) at four joint angles with conventional dynamic training(Folland et al., 2005). In another study, Kubo et al. investigated the effects of static and dynamic training on the stiffness and blood volume of the human tendon, using a training regimen of 10 contractions of 15-s duration for isometric knee extensions (Kubo et al., 2009). Additionally, Anwer \& Alghadir utilized a 5-second duration for isometric quadriceps contractions and hip adduction exercises. In contrast, the Straight Leg Raising (SLR) exercise was maintained for a contraction time of 10 seconds to assess the effects of isometric quadriceps exercises on individuals with knee osteoarthritis.
Understanding the isometric exercise parameters, such as duration, that achieve a desired adaptive response in muscle and tendon would benefit optimizing results. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to compare the effect of isometric exercise duration on muscle strength, pain, and function in patients with KOA.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 4
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| group 1 | Experimental | Other: isometric exercises, Other: therapeutic ultrasound, Other: Transcutanous electrical nerve stimulationThe subjects in this group will perform isometric exercises, including isometric quadriceps, straight-leg raising, and isometric hip adduction exercises for 5 seconds. All exercises will be performed in sets of 12 repetitions: one set twice a day for the 1st week, which will be progressed weekly until three sets twice a day by 3th week. Allow 5 seconds of rest between each repetition and 3 minutes of rest between sets, with a total contraction time of 60 to 180 seconds per session at 30 to 50% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). |
| group 2 | Experimental | Other: isometric exercises, Other: therapeutic ultrasound, Other: Transcutanous electrical nerve stimulationThe subjects in this group will perform isometric exercises, including isometric quadriceps, straight leg raising, and isometric hip adduction exercise for 10 sec. All exercises will be performed in sets of 6 repetitions: one set twice a day for the 1st week, which will be progressed weekly until three sets twice a day by 3th week. Allow 10 seconds of rest between each repetition and 3 minutes of rest between sets, with a total contraction time of 60 to 180 seconds per session at 30 to 50% of MVC. |
| group 3 | Experimental | Other: isometric exercises, Other: therapeutic ultrasound, Other: Transcutanous electrical nerve stimulationThe subjects in this group will perform isometric exercises, including isometric quadriceps, straight leg raising, and isometric hip adduction exercise for 20 sec. All exercises will be performed in sets of 3 repetitions: one set twice a day for the 1st week, which will be progressed weekly until three sets twice a day by 3th week. Allow 20 seconds of rest between each repetition and 3 minutes of rest between sets, with a total contraction time of 60 to 180 seconds per session at 30 to 50% of MVC. |
| control group | Active comparator | Other: therapeutic ultrasound, Other: Transcutanous electrical nerve stimulationThe control group will receive ultrasound therapy and TENS only. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 40 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- prediagnosed case of knee OA as per the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and radiological evidence of primary osteoarthritis of grade 3 or less on the Kellgren Lawrence scale;
- age between 40-65 years, including both men and women.
- unilateral or bilateral involvement (in the case of bilateral involvement, the more symptomatic knee was included).
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Other knee joint pathologies, eg, Chondromalacia patella, plica syndrome,
- Neurological disorders.
- Patients having lower extremity injury/surgeries in the past 6 months,
- Hip or knee fractures or deformity,
- joint infections and inflammatory joint disease,
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| isometric exercisesIsometric quadriceps exercise: Patients lie in a supine position. A rolled-up towel was put beneath the knee. They were instructed to maximally activate their thigh muscles to straighten their knee and hold the contraction for 5 seconds (Group A), 10 seconds (Group B), or 20 seconds (Group C). | Other | group 1, group 2, group 3 |
| therapeutic ultrasoundall patients will reciece ultrasound for 5 minutes using 1MHz frequency, 0.8 wc2, 5cm2 head with adequate gel as a coupling medium | Other | control group, group 1, group 2, group 3 |
| Transcutanous electrical nerve stimulationall participants will recieve TENS for 30 minutes per session. the parameters will be Burst TENS, with main frequency of 100Hz, burst frequency of 4 Hz, intensity to the comfortable muscle twitch, electrodes size according to the size of the patients knee. | Other | control group, group 1, group 2, group 3 |
Primary outcome
pain by numeric pain rating scale
Time frame: at baseline and after 1month of trreatment
The Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) is the simplest and most commonly used numeric scale to rate pain, ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain). The NPRS will be used for subjective pain measurement, which has good test-retest reliability
Function using Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis
Time frame: will be assessed at baseline and after 1 month of treatement
We will focus only on stiffness and physical function. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) has been widely used by clinicians in assessing patients with knee OA since it was developed in 1986 (Bellamy, 1995) to evaluate the symptoms of pain, stiffness, and physical function in patients with hip and/or knee OA. It consists of 24 questions and is divided into 3 subgroups: the pain subgroup consists of 5 questions, the stiffness subgroup consists of 2 questions, and the physical function subgroup consists of 17 questions. Each question receives a value between 0 and 4, and the total score is calculated as follows: no difficulty is scored as 0, mild as 1, moderate as 2, severe as 3, and extreme as 4. Higher scores indicate greater physical dysfunction and disability, and thereby worse health-related quality of life
function using Five Times Sit to Stand Test
Time frame: at baseline and after 1month of treatment
The muscle strength of the lower limbs was measured by the Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand Test (FTSST), in which participants rise from a chair and return to a seated position as quickly as possible with their arms folded across their chests. The time to complete five repetitions was recorded for two separate trials, with a 1-minute rest between each trial. The mean of the two trials was computed and used in the analysis
muscle strength using the one-repetition maximum (1RM) test for knee extension
Time frame: at baseline and after 1 month of treatement
1RM test has good-to-excellent test-retest reliability. the participants will be asked to perform active knee extension against different pregressive increasing weigths to determine the 1 RM. 2 minutes rest will be allowed before each contraction effort to allow recovery of the tested muscle.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 11 May 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. data will be used in future research
Related trials for Knee Arthritis Osteoarthritis
Recruiting
Autologous Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Injections for Knee Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis, Knee
Recruiting
Exploration of Appropriate BIS Range and Propofol Effect-site Concentration During Total Intravenous Anesthesia With Concomitant Adjuvants.
Knee Osteoarthritis, Replacement, Knee
Not yet recruiting
Platelet-Rich Plasma, Hyaluronic Acid, or Their Combination for Knee Osteoarthritis in Athletes
Knee Osteoarthritis
RecruitingPhase 4
Post-Operative Pain Relief: Zynrelef or Periarticular Injections in RATKA
Periarticular Block, Osteoarthritis (OA)
Not yet recruiting
Robotic-Assisted Versus Conventional Total Knee Arthroplasty With Virtual Home-Based Rehabilitation
Osteoarthritis, Knee
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing isometric exercises, therapeutic ultrasound and Transcutanous electrical nerve stimulation in people with Knee Arthritis Osteoarthritis, run by University of Hail at 1 site in Egypt.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 11 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Egypt. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
pain by numeric pain rating scale (time frame: at baseline and after 1month of trreatment). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 11 May 2026.