The effects of therapeutic exercises on pain, muscle strength, functional capacity, balance and hemodynamic parameters in knee osteoarthritis patients: a randomized controlled study of supervised versus home exercises

Abstract

The aim of the study was to compare the effects of low-intensity exercise programs for lower extremities, either supervised or at home, on pain, muscle strength, balance and the hemodynamic parameters of knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients. This randomized study included 78 patients with knee OA in 2 groups of supervised and home-based exercise program. Exercises were applied to the first group in the clinic as a group exercise program and were demonstrated to the second group to be performed at home. Before and after the 6-week exercise program, assessment was made of pain, quadriceps and hamstring muscle strengths, 6-min walk test (6MWT), and non-invasive hemodynamic parameters. Results of the 78 patients, 56 completed the study. Pain, muscle strength, and 6MWT scores showed significant improvements in both groups. There were also significant differences in the amount of change in pain and muscle strength (pain: p = 0.041, Rqdc: 0.009, Lqdc: 0.013, Rhms: 0.04) which indicated greater improvements in the supervised group. The balance scores of supervised group showed a significant improvement (p = 0.009). No significant change was determined in hemodynamic parameters of either group. Conclusion according to the results of this study showed that low-intensity lower extremity exercises conducted in a clinic under the supervision of a physiotherapist were more effective than home-based exercises in reducing post-activity pain levels and improving quadriceps and right hamstring muscle strength. Both the supervised and home exercise programs were seen to be effective in reducing rest pain and increasing 6 MW distance in knee osteoarthritis patients.

Efficacy of a biomechanically-based yoga exercise program in knee osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled trial

“…However, improvements in mobility performance, particularly the 6MWT were larger in both YE (mean difference, 59.3 m; p<0.017) and TE (mean difference, 54.0 m; p<0.017) groups compared to this recent research (mean difference, 26.0 m; N.S.). This improvement in the 6MWT distance was also larger than those reported in another recent study that compared 6 weeks of low intensity supervised (mean difference, 30 m; p = 0.007) versus home-based (mean difference, 30 m; p = 0.022) strengthening exercises in a population with knee OA [ 47 ].…”

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III trial of duloxetine in Japanese patients with knee pain due to osteoarthritis

“…Pain in patients with knee OA results partly from the disease process and partly from pain avoidance strategies, such as reduced physical activity and maladaptive movement, which further exacerbate pain and contribute to impaired HRQoL. 7 , 25 , 26 Duloxetine may provide an opportunity to interrupt this cycle by reducing pain and allowing patients to increase their physical activity. Moreover, if pain is reduced to a level that enables patients to receive various physical therapies, further improvements in motor function, and subsequently in HRQoL, may be expected.…”

“…Moreover, if pain is reduced to a level that enables patients to receive various physical therapies, further improvements in motor function, and subsequently in HRQoL, may be expected. 25 Alternatively, alleviation of pain in response to treatment may exacerbate joint deterioration by allowing patients to overuse their joints. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess whether pharmacological pain therapy may contribute to X-ray abnormalities or alterations in knee joint mobility.…”

Evidence-Based Cutoff Threshold Values from Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve Analysis for Knee Osteoarthritis in the 50-Year-Old Korean Population: Analysis of Big Data from the National Health Insurance Sharing Service

“…This suggests that physically dynamic weight bearing load (ELD_LLFX_SEC) rather than static weight bearing load (ELD_STF_SEC; ELD_STFX_MTHD) beneficially suppresses damage on the knee joints [ 13 ]. According to the provided cutoff value, an immediate lower-limb strengthening exercise program should be developed to improve OA symptoms [ 14 ].…”