Yoga as an Intervention for Women With Knee Osteoarthritis
Yoga as an Intervention for Women With Knee Osteoarthritis
Keeping individuals with knee osteoarthritis physically active is critically important.
 Exercise is effective at reducing pain while improving physical function. However some
 exercises can overload the knee, and as a result, worsen knee pain and health of the knee
 joint. Yoga offers a foundation of static postures that improve muscle strength and joint
 flexibility. Using sophisticated technology that allows us to calculate the loads inside the
 knee, the investigators have selected yoga exercises that do not overload the knee joint. The
 investigators have designed a yoga exercise class that is ideal for people with knee
 osteoarthritis. The purpose of the study is to investigate whether these yoga exercises
 increase muscle strength and reduce knee pain in women with knee osteoarthritis. In addition,
 the investigators aim to show that these yoga exercises will also improve knee loads during
 activities, mobility and heart health. The investigators will ask 50 women with knee
 osteoarthritis to participate in a 12 week yoga exercise intervention, that requires
 attendance to 3 classes each week. The investigators will test strength of the leg muscles,
 pain, knee joint loads, mobility and cardiovascular health before and after the 12 week yoga
 exercise intervention.
This study is an uncontrolled intervention study with repeated measures. The intervention is
 a 12-week supervised exercise class featuring biomechanically sound exercises for people with
 knee osteoarthritis. Measures of strength of the knee muscles, pain, biomechanics during
 walking and yoga, mobility and cardiovascular health will be included. Strength will be
 measured on a dynamometer. Pain will be assessed with questionnaires. Walking and three yoga
 postures will be observed using motion capture system integrated with force measurements from
 the floor. Mobility will be assessed during walking, stair-climbing and chair standing tasks.
 Cardiovascular health will be measured during a submaximal bicycle task.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Female - 50 years of age or older

 -  Knee pain on most days of the week

 -  Less than 30 minutes of morning stiffness

 -  Bony enlargement

 -  Bony tenderness to palpation

 -  Signs of inflammation

 -  Able to safely climb 2 flights of stairs without aid

 -  Visited a family physician within the last 12 months

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Any other forms of arthritis

 -  Osteoporosis

 -  History of patellofemoral symptoms

 -  Active non-arthritic knee disease

 -  Knee surgery

 -  Use of cane or walking aid

 -  Unstable heart condition

 -  Neurological conditions

 -  Skin allergy to medical tape

 -  Hip or ankle injuries in past 3 months

 -  Any injuries that would prohibit participation in yoga

 -  Ipsilateral hip or ankle conditions

 -  Currently receiving cancer treatment

 -  Currently pregnant