Effect of Isometric Quadriceps Exercise on Muscle Strength, Pain, and Function in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Study

Abstract

[Purpose] The aim of present study was to investigate the effects of isometric quadriceps exercise on muscle strength, pain, and function in knee osteoarthritis. [Subjects and Methods] Outpatients (N=42, 21 per group; age range 40–65 years; 13 men and 29 women) with osteoarthritis of the knee participated in the study. The experimental group performed isometric exercises including isometric quadriceps, straight leg raising, and isometric hip adduction exercise 5 days a week for 5 weeks, whereas the control group did not performed any exercise program. The outcome measures or dependent variables selected for this study were pain intensity, isometric quadriceps strength, and knee function. These variables were measured using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), strength gauge device, and reduced WOMAC index, respectively. All the measurements were taken at baseline (week 0) and at the end of the trial at week 5. [Results] In between-group comparisons, the maximum isometric quadriceps strength, reduction in pain intensity, and improvement in function in the isometric exercise group at the end of the 5th week were significantly greater than those of the control group (p<0.05). [Conclusion] The 5-week isometric quadriceps exercise program showed beneficial effects on quadriceps muscle strength, pain, and functional disability in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.

Effect of Age, Cartilage Health and Pain on the Isometric Strength of Knee Musculature: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Due to this degenerative process, there is reduction in cartilage resiliency and hydration, resulting in increased degradation of cartilage, increased roughness of its surface and increased susceptibility to osteoarthritis [3,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31]. Hence, due to proven negative impact of osteoarthritis on muscle strength [23,[33][34][35][36][37], cartilage health showed reduction in muscle strength with advancing grades of clarity and interface. The relationship between VAS and strength of knee flexors and extensors came out to be highly significant in the negative direction (Table 7).…”

Influence of Stabilization Exercises on Articular Cartilage Changes in Degenerative Tibio- Femoral Joint Disease- A Pilot Study

“…The subjects recruited through simple random were given the 8 week stabilization exercises protocol and procedure [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] explained in Tables 1 and 2. The dependent variable was pain, muscle strength, ROM, and serum COMP value were measured by visual analogue scale (VAS), dynamometer, universal goniometer and ELISA test, respectively. The investigator was blinded to the measurements.…”

Pharmacologic and Non-Pharmacologic Treatment of Osteoarthritis

“…An example of this type of exercise is isometric quadricep exercise. Patient in a supine position with a rolled up towel under the knee is asked to maximally activate his thigh muscles and hold the contraction for 5 s [25]. Isotonic exercise that encompasses any moving exercise such as walking and biking might be advised to patients who are able to do so [19].…”