Can a meditation practice curb Post-Surgery pain and opioid use?
NCT ID NCT06038240
First seen Aug 17, 2026 · Last updated Aug 17, 2026
Summary
This trial tests whether a brief course of savoring meditation—a practice that generates positive emotions—can reduce pain and improve reward system function in people undergoing knee replacement for osteoarthritis. Half of the 150 participants will receive this meditation training, while the other half will receive standard pain self-management education. Researchers will measure pain intensity, opioid use, and brain activity before and after surgery to see if the meditation approach offers added benefits.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Savoring Meditation, a behavioral intervention combining pain neuroscience education with a positive emotion practice
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this brief meditation practice could offer a drug-free way to ease post-surgical pain and reduce opioid use after knee replacement.
- What could go wrong
- This is a relatively small, early-stage trial, and the benefits seen in lab settings may not translate to real-world recovery. The intervention requires daily practice, which may be challenging for some.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for KNEE PAIN CHRONIC are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Fontaine Research Park
RECRUITINGCharlottesville, Virginia, 22903, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can a Double-Wall bag stop leaks during keyhole fibroid surgery?
- Could skipping chemo speed up bladder cancer surgery without harm?
- Can a simple pill speed up knee replacement recovery?
- Brain-Tracking anesthesia: a faster, smoother Wake-Up?
- Can robots make pediatric surgery safer? a new registry aims to find out
- Can big data reveal the true risks of lung surgery?