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. 2023 Feb 14;11(4):564.
doi: 10.3390/healthcare11040564.

Effect of an Integrated Physiotherapy Protocol on Knee Osteoarthritis Patients: A Preliminary Study

Sohrab Ahmad Khan  1 , Prithvi Parasher  1 , Mairaj Ahmed Ansari  2 , Suhel Parvez  3 , Noor Fatima  2   4 , Iqbal Alam  5
Affiliations

Effect of an Integrated Physiotherapy Protocol on Knee Osteoarthritis Patients: A Preliminary Study

Sohrab Ahmad Khan et al. Healthcare (Basel). .

Abstract

Background: Exercise therapy can potentially relieve symptoms and improve functional status of the knee osteoarthritis population. Despite the proved practical benefits, there is no standard, comprehensive physiotherapeutic protocol available targeting the physical and physiological impairment cluster associated with disease. Osteoarthritis is a whole joint disease, affecting joint cartilage, ligaments, menisci and joint associated muscles, from variable pathophysiological processes. Hence, there is a need to develop a physiotherapy protocol to address the multi-structural physical, physiological and functional impairments associated with the disease.

Objective: The objective of the present study is to evaluate the efficacy of designed, therapist supervised, patient education, progressive resistance exercises, passive stretching exercises, soft tissue manipulation, muscle energy technique, Maitland mobilization, aerobic exercise, and neuromuscular training physiotherapy protocol on pain, disability, balance, and physical functional performance in knee osteoarthritis patients.

Methodology: The preliminary study was conducted on a (n = 60) sample of convenience. The samples were randomly allocated into two study groups, intervention, and control group. The control group was advised on a basic home program. On the other hand, the treatment of the intervention group was designed with a therapist supervised Physiotherapy Protocol. The outcome variables studied were the Visual Analogue Scale, Modified WOMAC Scale, Timed Up and Go Test, Functional Reach Test, 40 m Fast Paced Walk Test, Stair Climb Test, 30 s Chair Stand Test.

Results: The results of the study revealed a significant improvement among most of the studied outcome measures in the intervention group, hence the designed supervised physiotherapy protocol was found effective in relieving multiple physiological impairments associated with this whole joint disease.

Keywords: balance; disability; exercise therapy; functional performance; knee osteoarthritis; manual therapy; pain; physiotherapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of the participants and the study program.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The mean data is adjusted for health, gender, and BMI. Data from thirty patients from each group have been analyzed and presented here in the bar graph with mean values and standard deviation. 0: Intervention group Pre; 1: Intervention group post treatment; 2: Control group pretreatment; 3: Control group post treatment. The p < 0.01 (**) and p < 0.001 (***) is denoted in the graphs, NS = Non significant.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The mean data is adjusted for health, gender, and BMI. Data from thirty patients from each group have been analyzed and presented here in the bar graph with mean values and standard deviation. 0: Intervention group Pre; 1: Intervention group post treatment; 2: Control group pretreatment; 3: Control group post treatment. The p < 0.01 (**) and p < 0.001 (***) is denoted in the graphs, NS = Non significant.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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