Muscle power as a predictor of knee arthritis risk in at-risk women
Official title: Muscle Power as a Predictor of Knee Osteoarthritis in At-Risk Females
Funded at Wake Forest University · NIH-11333037 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to see if how strong your knee muscles are can predict future knee arthritis in women who are at higher risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | May 14, 2025 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $359,273 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR084828-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11333037 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (primarily women) enrolled in the TOPS ancillary study who have baseline data and are part of the attention control group.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not in the TOPS ancillary study or without knee-related mobility concerns may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project uses data from a long-running study of knee osteoarthritis to look at whether how powerfully the knee muscles can move helps forecast whether someone will develop knee OA. Researchers will measure baseline maximal knee extensor power in a subset of participants and link it with later outcomes through the existing TOPS cohort. The work builds on the parent trial, collecting new muscle-power data during the 48-month follow-up to understand its predictive value for arthritis-related pain and mobility. Results could inform personalized prevention strategies to keep knees healthier as people age.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could help identify people at higher risk for knee OA earlier and guide targeted prevention efforts.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research shows muscle power relates to mobility and pain in knee OA, supporting potential predictive value for OA risk.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rice, Paige Elizabeth — Wake Forest University
- Study coordinator: Rice, Paige Elizabeth
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how knee pain and knee obesity and muscle loss affect knee osteoarthritis
This project looks at how knee swelling, excess knee fat, and muscle loss relate to pain and structural changes in knee osteoarthritis in adults.
-
Nanoparticles delivering an sPLA2 blocker for knee osteoarthritis
This project uses tiny, drug-filled nanoparticles to deliver an sPLA2-blocking medicine into the knee to reduce inflammation and slow knee osteoarthritis in people with painful knee OA.
-
Remote tai chi for knee OA in everyday care
A nationwide study will test remotely delivered tai chi for people with knee osteoarthritis to see if it helps pain and function when added to usual care.
-
Sensory nerves and joint cells talk to each other in knee arthritis
This grant tests how nerve signals and joint cells interact in knee osteoarthritis, with a focus on CGRP pathways and how they affect pain and joint damage.
-
From knee to brain: a whole-body look at inflammation in knee osteoarthritis
Aims to map inflammation across the body and brain in people with knee osteoarthritis using advanced imaging to help explain and improve pain and treatment.
-
Determinants of rapid knee osteoarthritis progression using radiograph features
A patient-friendly look at how knees with osteoarthritis may progress more quickly, using advanced X-ray measurements to identify who is at higher risk.
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.