Understanding Muscle, Movement, and Aging with Knee Osteoarthritis

The Study of Muscle, Mobility and Aging with Knee OA

NIH-funded research University of California at Davis · NIH-10854808

This research looks at how muscle changes, movement, and aging are connected in older adults who have knee osteoarthritis.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California at Davis NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Davis, United States)
Project IDNIH-10854808 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

As we age, our muscles and bones can weaken, leading to conditions like knee osteoarthritis, which makes it harder to move and can cause disability. We know that people with knee osteoarthritis often have weaker muscles and different muscle makeup compared to healthy individuals. This project aims to understand how specific muscle qualities, like muscle mass and energy production, change over time in older adults with knee osteoarthritis. We are collecting detailed information, including muscle tissue and blood samples, from a large group of diverse older men and women to build a unique resource for future discoveries.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for related future opportunities might be older adults, aged 70 or above, who are experiencing some mobility challenges or have knee osteoarthritis.

Not a fit: Patients who do not have knee osteoarthritis or are not in the older age group may not directly benefit from this specific research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a better understanding of why mobility decreases in knee osteoarthritis, paving the way for new ways to help patients maintain their independence and quality of life.

How similar studies have performed: While smaller studies have explored muscle qualities in older adults, this research is unique in its large scale and focus on how these qualities change over time specifically in individuals with knee osteoarthritis.

Where this research is happening

Davis, 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.