Understanding how neighborhood factors affect walking and knee osteoarthritis
Neighborhood Barriers and Facilitators to Walking, the Epidemiology of Knee Osteoarthritis and Developing Effective Exercise Prescriptions
This study is looking at how the features of your neighborhood, like how easy it is to walk around, affect knee osteoarthritis symptoms in adults, and it hopes to find ways to make walking easier and more enjoyable for those dealing with this condition.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Saint Louis University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11015849 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research investigates the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis (OA) among adults. It aims to identify barriers and facilitators to walking in local environments, which can significantly impact OA symptoms. By integrating electronic medical records with geospatial data, the study will explore how factors like walkability and social environment influence physical activity levels in individuals with knee OA. The findings could lead to targeted interventions that promote walking as a low-cost treatment option for managing OA symptoms.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are adults aged 65 and older who experience symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.
Not a fit: Patients who are younger than 65 or do not have knee osteoarthritis may not receive any benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide insights that help improve walking conditions in neighborhoods, leading to better management of knee osteoarthritis symptoms for patients.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown that neighborhood walkability can influence physical activity levels, but this specific approach to knee osteoarthritis is novel.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Saint Louis University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gebauer, Sarah — Saint Louis University
- Study coordinator: Gebauer, Sarah
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 below.