Sugar-water shots and exercise may soothe knee arthritis pain
NCT ID NCT07355712
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether injecting a sugar-water solution (prolotherapy) into the knee, combined with a personalized exercise program, could reduce pain and improve function in people with knee osteoarthritis. 74 adults with grade 2 knee OA took part. Researchers measured pain, stiffness, and physical function using standard questionnaires, and also checked levels of certain inflammation-related proteins in the blood. The goal was to see if adding exercise to prolotherapy works better than prolotherapy alone.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- hypertonic dextrose solution with lidocaine
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a non-surgical way to ease knee pain and improve mobility for people with osteoarthritis.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed trial with 74 participants. The results may not apply to everyone, and the treatment involves injections that can cause temporary soreness.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
74 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Jul 2024
- Finished
-
Oct 2025
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
19 to 85 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Adults ≥18 years with primary knee osteoarthritis (OA) diagnosed by ultrasonography who provided written informed consent. * Participants were required to be cooperative and capable of complying with the study protocol Exclusion Criteria: * A history of traumatic knee arthritis * Knee OA associated with trauma, fracture, ankylosing spondylitis, or septic arthritis * Major comorbidities significantly impairing quality of life (e.g., cancer, heart failure, renal failure, stroke) * Use of NSAIDs or systemic steroids within 1 week * Intra-articular corticosteroid injection within 2 months; or current use of injectable or hormonal contraception.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Prolotherapy are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
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
-
fkkmk UGM
Sleman, Special Region of Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.