The SOAR (Stop OsteoARthritis) Clinical Trial

Overview 

Many young Canadians who hurt their knees playing sports are at risk of developing osteoarthritis (OA) at a young age. Osteoarthritis can cause pain and disability, making it hard to work, take care of family, and enjoy life. The Stop OsteoARthritis (SOAR) program offers a new way to help prevent OA through education and exercise. By testing how well this program works compared to usual care, the study aims to find a way to keep people’s knees healthy and reduce the impact of OA on their lives and the healthcare system.

What will be done?

In this study, young people who have had knee surgery after tearing their ACL will be divided into two groups.

One group will follow the SOAR program, which includes online education sessions, personalized home exercise plans, and regular check-ins with a physiotherapist.

The other group will receive a more independent education and exercise program for comparison. Researchers will measure participants’ knee health (including MRIs), pain levels, and quality of life over time to see if the SOAR program helps prevent the early onset of osteoarthritis and improves their overall well-being.

Want to find out more?

If you are interested in more information about this study or participating, please contact the research team at soar@arthritisresearch.ca or click on this link https://bit.ly/ACLRScreen

The Research Team 

Principal Investigator:

Jackie Whittaker, BScPT, PhD, Senior Research Scientist, Arthritis Research Canada (University of British Columbia)

Co-Investigators:

Alex Brooks-Hill, BPHE, MD, (University of British Columbia)
Jennifer Davis, UBCO, PhD, (University of British Columbia – Okanagan)
Alison Hoens, BScPT, MSc, Knowledge Broker, Arthritis Research Canada (University of British Columbia)
Michael Hunt, PT PhD, (University of British Columbia)
Linda Li, BSc(PT), MSc, PhD, FCAHS, Senior Scientist, Arthritis Research Canada (University of British Columbia)
Justin Losciale, DPT, SCS, PhD Candidate, (Supervisor: Jackie Whittaker) Trainee, Arthritis Research Canada (University of British Columbia)
Maxi Miciak, PT, PhD, (University of Alberta)
Amber Mosewich, PhD, (University of Alberta)
Ewa Roos, PT, PhD, (University of Southern Denmark)
Adnan Sheikh, MD, (University of British Columbia)
Linda Truong, BScKIN, MPT, PhD (University of British Columbia)
David Wilson, PhD, (University of British Columbia)
Hui Xie, BSc, MS, PhD, Research Scientist, Arthritis Research Canada (Simon Fraser University)

Collaborators:

Candice Archibald, Karin Kausky, Angelina Ko, Dominic Wade, Trish Silvester-Lee, Patient Partner, Arthritis Research Canada Arthritis Patient Advisory Board member