Understanding knee osteoarthritis, pain, and movement (MOST4)

Novel Insights into Osteoarthritis, Pain and Function: MOST4

NIH-funded research Boston University Medical Campus · NIH-11311312

This project follows people with or at risk of knee osteoarthritis to learn how pain, function, and joint changes evolve over time.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionBoston University Medical Campus NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Boston, United States)
Project IDNIH-11311312 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you join MOST4, researchers will collect questionnaires about pain and daily function, perform physical and biomechanical tests, and take MRI images and other measurements to track joint and muscle changes. The team plans to add about 450 new participants to bring the total to roughly 2,293 people followed over time. Study activities are coordinated by cores for clinical data, imaging, and analysis, with safety oversight and input from a community advisory board. By linking exam findings, imaging, and biological markers, the study aims to find patterns that may guide more personalized care.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults who have knee pain or are at increased risk for knee osteoarthritis (for example due to age, prior knee injury, or early joint changes) are the ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People without knee problems, children, or those seeking an experimental drug for immediate symptom relief are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this observational study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: Findings could help tailor treatments and prevent worsening pain or loss of function for people with knee osteoarthritis.

How similar studies have performed: This is a continuation of the long-running MOST multicenter cohort, which has produced over 180 publications and established useful findings about osteoarthritis, pain, and function.

Where this research is happening

Boston, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.