This research has been designed to test a new physiotherapy treatment for knee osteoarthritis called “Cognitive Muscular Therapy”. Rather than focus on muscle strengthening, the aim of this treatment is to teach patients to move with less muscle tension, and therefore give injured areas a chance to heal. Research has shown that osteoarthritis pain doesn’t come from the cartilage because cartilage doesn’t contain pain receptors. Research has also shown that many older people have a complete loss of knee cartilage but feel no pain. Therefore, non-surgical treatments may offer pain relief to people who have been told that their knees are ‘bone on bone’ due to “wear and tear”.
Many people who are on an orthopedic waiting list will have tried standard physiotherapy for their knee pain and obtained little benefit. However, Cognitive Muscular Therapy is very different from standard physiotherapy. This is because the aim is to teach patients to reduce muscle tension by learning relaxation techniques and improving posture. It also aims to help people to recognise the link between pain, stress and muscle tension. This research has been designed to understand whether Cognitive Muscular Therapy can reduce pain in people whilst they are waiting for a knee replacement and whether, for some people, it might remove the need for an operation.
This study could be for you if you are on a waiting list for a total knee replacement. If you are interested in taking part, please read the participant information sheet. After reading this sheet, if you are still interested in taking part then follow the link below to an online form. This form will ask you more questions about you and your decisions around surgery which the researchers will use to understand if you would be suitable. All information provided through the form in treated strictly confidential and you will hear back within 1 week from the research team.
Please follow this link to the online form. If you would prefer to speak to one of the reserach team instead of completing the online form, then please ring Dr Jen Parker on +44 (0) 161 295 2181 or email us at health-bepko@salford.ac.uk explaining that you would like someone to ring you back about the TKR study.
This study will close to recruitment in June 2025.