Home leg training device to improve knee osteoarthritis symptoms
Official title: Home-Based Leg Dexterity Trainer for Management of Knee Osteoarthritis
Funded at Neuromuscular Dynamics, LLC · NIH-11196710 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A home-based device program that trains leg stability to help adults with knee osteoarthritis reduce pain and improve function.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Neuromuscular Dynamics, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Crescenta, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 25, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $714,138 |
| NIH project number | 5R44AG090114-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11196710 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with knee osteoarthritis, including those with prior ACL injury, who can sit for short exercise sessions and follow remote instructions are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who need immediate knee surgery, have severe joint instability or deformity, or cannot perform the seated exercises are unlikely to benefit.
What this research studies
You would use a portable, wireless Leg Dexterity device while seated that challenges leg balance by compressing a springy platform. A tablet gives real-time feedback and uploads activity to a secure cloud so you and clinicians can track progress. The trial compares 8 weeks of this unstable-surface training (42 participants) with a dose-matched program of stable leg presses in a blinded design. Most training is done at home with remote monitoring and data collection.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the device could lower knee pain and improve daily function without surgery.
How similar studies have gone: Other balance and sensorimotor training programs have shown benefits for knee pain and function, but this specific Leg Dexterity home device is novel and not yet widely tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Neuromuscular Dynamics, LLC
La Crescenta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Valero, Erika — Neuromuscular Dynamics, LLC
- Study coordinator: Valero, Erika
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.