Remote tai chi for knee OA in everyday care
Official title: Remote Tai Chi for Knee Osteoarthritis: an Embedded Pragmatic Trial
Funded at Tufts Medical Center · NIH-11506893 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tufts Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | May 19, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $61,497 |
| NIH project number | 3UH3AT012413-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11506893 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with a clinical diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis treated in one of the participating health systems.
✕Less likely to help
Some participants may not experience meaningful improvement or may have barriers to engaging with a remote program.
What this research studies
This project tests a 3-month, twice-weekly tai chi program delivered over the web to adults with knee osteoarthritis who are treated in 5 health systems. Participants are randomly assigned to start the remote tai chi program or continue with usual care, with follow-up assessments at 3, 6, and 12 months to gauge long-term effects. The study uses real-world clinical settings to see how well remote tai chi can be implemented and sustained across diverse regions. If successful, the program could become a scalable option for managing knee OA in everyday practice.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If the program works, patients may experience better pain control and function with a convenient, remote option.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data during the pandemic suggested remote tai chi could help knee OA pain, with ongoing work to confirm real-world effectiveness.
Where this research is happening
-
Tufts Medical Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Chenchen — Tufts Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Wang, Chenchen
Related research
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A researcher at a major university is exploring new models to understand how dorsal root ganglion nerves drive knee OA pain, with the aim of finding better ways to relieve pain.
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.