A Study to Compare Two Rehabilitation Protocols for Knee Osteoarthritis

Rehabilitation With Blood Flow Restriction Training to Enhance Anti-gravity Treadmill Effects in the Treatment of Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: a Randomized Controlled Trial

The aim of this randomized controlled study is to investigate whether the implementation of Blood Flow Restriction, in which the de-loading factor is delivered by the combined progressive de-loaded walking to running activity on an antigravity treadmill (treatment group), is more effective than the same antigravity protocol alone (control group).

Participants will be divided as follows:

Intervention group: anti-gravity treadmill combined with blood flow restriction Control group: anti-gravity treadmill Both groups will also undergo a standardized knee Osteoarthritis management through an aerobic and strength program.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age included between 45 and 80 years old
• Patients with knee OA diagnosed by a medical doctor with a radiological confirmation
• Patients able to provide informed consent and follow all the study procedures as indicated by the protocol
• Informed Consent as documented by signature

Exclusion Criteria:

• Younger than 44 years old or older than 81 years old included
• Known drug or alcohol abuse
• Inability to follow the procedures of the study, e.g. due to language problems, psychological disorders, dementia, etc.
• Participation in another study with an investigational drug within the 30 days preceding and during the present study
• Treatment with an injective approach in the previous 3 month
• Surgical treatment in the previous 12 months.