Knee ligament stiffness across ethnicities before and after OA treatment

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This prospective observational study uses shear wave elastography to establish normative stiffness values for the knee ligaments (ACL, PCL, MCL, LCL) across age groups and ethnicities, and compares these values between healthy individuals and those with radiographic knee OA. Participants will undergo standardized SWE exams, clinical assessments, and patient-reported outcomes (pain and function). A subset of OA patients receiving ultrasound-guided injections will have repeat SWE and clinical evaluations to explore changes in ligament stiffness after treatment. The study acknowledges knee OA as a whole-joint disease affecting periarticular tissues and aims to correlate stiffness with demographics, body composition, and limb dominance.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria

* Healthy volunteers:
* Adults aged 20 years or older.
* Able to understand the study procedures and provide written informed consent.
* Able to ambulate independently without walking aids.
* No pain in either knee during the previous 6 months.
* Patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis:
* Adults aged 20 years or older.
* Able to understand the study procedures and provide written informed consent.
* Pain in at least one knee during the previous year.
* Knee pain, soreness, or stiffness documented within the previous month.
* Radiographic knee osteoarthritis defined by at least one of the following:
* Kellgren-Lawrence grade ≥2 on anteroposterior radiographs.
* Kellgren-Lawrence grade ≥2 on skyline radiographs.
* Superior or inferior patellar osteophytes or posterior tibial osteophytes on lateral radiographs.

Exclusion Criteria

* Healthy volunteers:
* Previous knee surgery.
* Rupture of any cruciate or collateral ligament.
* Major knee or periarticular trauma.
* Rheumatic or autoimmune disease.
* Diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis within the previous 6 months.
* Patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis:
* Rheumatic or autoimmune disease.
* Malignancy.
* Previous major knee trauma or knee surgery.
* Corticosteroid injection into the affected knee within the previous 3 months.

Where it's running

• National Taiwan University Hospital, Bei-Hu Branch
  Taipei, Taipei City, Taiwan Recruiting

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Ke-Vin Chang, MD, PhD
• Email: kvchang011@gmail.com
• Phone: +886-2-23717101

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.