Abstract
BACKGROUND: The Hip & Knee Book: Helping you cope with osteoarthritis was developed to change disadvantageous beliefs and encourage physical activity in people with hip or knee osteoarthritis. AIM: To assess the feasibility of conducting a definitive randomised controlled trial (RCT) of this evidence-based booklet in people with hip or knee osteoarthritis. DESIGN: Phase II feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT). METHOD: Computerised searches of patients' record databases identified people with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee, who were invited to participate in the RCT comparing the new booklet with a control booklet. Outcomes were measured at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months, and included: beliefs about hip and knee pain, exercise, and fear avoidance; level of physical activity; and health service use. RESULTS: The trial methods were feasible in terms of recruitment, randomisation, and follow-up, but most participants recruited had longstanding established symptoms. After one and 3 months, there was a small relative improvement in illness, exercise, and fear-avoidance beliefs and physical activity level in The Hip & Knee Book group (n = 59) compared with the control group (n = 60), which provides some proof of principle for using these outcomes in future trials. CONCLUSION: This feasibility study provided proof of principle for testing The Hip & Knee Book in a larger definitive RCT.