Smartwatch could read your pain: new study tests wearable for knee arthritis
NCT ID NCT06701461
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This pilot study will test whether a smartwatch can measure pain levels in 15 people with knee osteoarthritis. Participants will wear an Embrace Plus smartwatch that tracks electrodermal activity (skin signals) while reporting their pain during standard physical tests. The goal is to see if the watch can reliably detect pain, paving the way for larger studies.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Embrace Plus smartwatch (electrodermal activity sensor)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could lead to a simple, wearable way to track pain objectively in osteoarthritis patients, improving pain management.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small pilot study (15 people) testing feasibility only. The smartwatch may not reliably capture pain signals, and results may not apply to broader populations.
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
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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
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About 15 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Aug 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Oct 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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50 to 80 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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.
Study subjects Inclusion Criteria: * Kellgren-Lawrence Grade \>= 3 Exclusion Criteria: * Inflammatory arthropathy (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis), BMI \>=35 Control subjects: Exclusion Criteria: * Complaints of lower extremity joint pain * Known diagnosis of knee osteoarthpathy * Prior history of knee surgery, knee injections, or injury to knee joints (e.g., meniscus tears, ligamentous injuries), BMI \>=35 Both groups, exclusion: * Subjects with chronic heart problems, including, but not limited to, chronic hypertension, heart palpitations, a weak or irregular heartbeat, or a previous heart attack, * Subjects taking the following drugs within 12 hours of the experiment or during the experiment: caffeine, alcohol, psychoactive drugs, nicotine or marijuana, other recreational drugs, and medicine of any kind that is not normally taken daily. Such medications include; * NSAIDs * Acetaminophen * Steroidal anti-inflammatory agents * Bronchodilators * Appetite suppressants * Lipase inhibitors * Women who are currently pregnant * Subjects with Raynaud's syndrome * Subjects with any of the following conditions: active skin lesions where EDA sensors are, vertigo or dizziness, and anyone with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), peripheral neuropathy, seizure disorders, methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), impaired circulation, medical implants, open skin lesions, chronic eczema on hands where EDA and electrical stimulator's electrodes are attached, diabetes, and epilepsy. * Participants who have a skin sensitivity to metals, have a pacemaker or defibrillator, or have recent head trauma within the past two weeks (even without loss of consciousness) * Participants who cannot feel physical pain or have a history of self-harm
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
Lebanon, New Hampshire, 03756, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- One shot to the knee: gene therapy tested against arthritis pain
- Digital tools may help osteoarthritis patients avoid surgery
- Can body weight predict success of knee realignment surgery?
- Can a meditation practice curb Post-Surgery pain and opioid use?
- Can a simple pill speed up knee replacement recovery?
- Could a wearable ultrasound device ease knee arthritis pain without pills?