Table 1.
Inclusion and exclusion criteria for study participation (t0 = baseline)
| Inclusion criteria (all criteria relevant for study eligibility) |
| • Insurance holder of the insurance company offering the exercise program since two or more years prior t0 |
| • Referral from an orthopaedic surgeon or general practitioner |
| • Self-reported lifetime prevalence of hip and/or knee OA that was previously diagnosed by a medical practitioner • Physical and mental ability to participate in the interventional program and to answer self-administered questionnaires at t0 |
| Exclusion criteria (one or more positive answers lead to non-eligibility) |
| • Significant established osteoporosis requiring treatment, previous spontaneous or low impact fracture prior t0 |
| • Co-morbidities leading to major impairments in everyday life and representing contra-indications for physical activities at t0 |
| • Artificial joint replacement at the knee and/or hip joint within the last 6 months prior t0 |
| • Artificial joint replacement at the knee and/or hip joint with instable anchoring at t0 |
| • Artificial joint replacement at the knee and/or hip joint with rradiologic signs of implant loosening at t0 |
| • Artificial joint replacement at the knee and/or hip joint accompanied with acute joint inflammation at t0 |
| • Current pain at rest or with activity due to artificial joint replacement at the knee and/or hip joint |
| • Luxation as an adverse event of artificial hip replacement prior t0 |
| • Surgery at the lower extremity within the last 3 months prior t0 |
| • Regular use of gait aids |
| • Self-reported acute illness at t0 |
| • < 15 pointsa on the WOMAC Index subscale pain (0–100) and < 15 points on the WOMAC Index subscale physical function (0–100) at t0 |
| • Insufficient German language ability for self-administered questionnaires (IG) at t0 |
| • Current employment in the health care insurance at t0 |
aExclusion criteria is valid for the primary data analysis only. Low values indicate less pain and improved function: 0 points = no pain and maximum physical functioning respectively