2016 OARSI World Congress on Osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled trial to investigate walking 6,000 steps per day on pain and function in knee osteoarthritis progression: the wallkout study

52 patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) were randomized to receive either a physical activity regimen of walking 6000 steps daily, or advised on the UK Department of Health physical activity guidelines. The purpose of this study was to determine whether physical activity through 6000 steps per day was effective in improving knee OA symptoms. The Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, the Oxford Knee Score (OKS), and performance-based functional measures were evaluated at baseline and post-intervention. Between-group differences for all measures were non-significant. Findings indicated significant within-group improvement in VAS pain and OKS scores in the group which completed 6000 steps per day, but no significant changes in all sections of the KOOS. Performance on the 30sec chair stand, 40m walk, stair climb, timed up-and-go, and 6min walk tests were all significantly improved within the 6000 steps group compared to baseline. Within the UK DoH physical activity guidelines group, the timed up-and go and 6min walk tests were significantly improved compared to baseline measures.