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Osteoarthritis of the Knee – Achieving Long-Term Success

By Balanced Physical Therapy | September 1, 2008

Balanced PT distributed this article to area physicians in August, 2008.Exercises for Osteoarthritis of the Knee

Eleven percent of the population aged 64 years or older have symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee.1  The condition causes seniors to live with reduced mobility, daily pain, and the emotional consequences of pain & impairment.  Many seniors do not ask for help.  A study conducted by the Arthritis Foundation in San Mateo, CA showed that more than 50% of people suffering from arthritis did not believe or were not sure that doctors knew of anything that could improve their condition.2  A referral to Balanced Physical Therapy is one of the very effective things you can do to help your patients with osteoarthritis.  Research has shown that a short program of progressive strengthening, stretching, home exercise training, and possibly taping can produce long lasting results for your patients.

PT Proven Effective: Deyle et al conducted a randomized, placebo controlled study of eighty-three patients with confirmed osteoarthritis of the knee.3  Physical therapists treated both groups twice weekly for four weeks.  The treatment group received a combination of manual therapies and supervised exercises.  Exercises involved progressive strengthening, stretching, and conditioning of calves, hamstrings, and quadriceps.  The placebo group received ultrasound therapy at subtherapeutic intensity.  The treatment group demonstrated improved symptoms and greater six-minute walking distances.  The improvements were maintained after one year.  After one year, the treatment group had significantly fewer knee surgeries than the placebo group.

Home Exercise Shown Advantageous: Thomas et al randomized people suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee into four groups: home exercise plan, monthly telephone contact, monthly telephone plus exercise, and no exercise.4  Six hundred participants completed the study.  Researchers met with each home exercise participant four times over two months to supervise the home exercise program.  They developed a home exercise program to maintain and improve muscle strength around the knee, knee range of motion, and locomotor function.  The program used elastic bands to progressively increase the intensity of the exercises.  At two-year follow-up, the home exercise groups showed significant improvements in stiffness, muscle strength, and physical function.  There was a 12% reduction in knee pain.  Those who adhered best to the exercise regimen achieved the best results, but even moderate adherence produced significant results. 

Taping Shown Advantageous: Hinman et al randomized 87 participants with osteoarthritic knees into three groups: therapeutic taping, control taping that provided only sensory input, or no taping.5  The mean duration of symptoms was nine years.  After three weeks of taping by a physical therapist, the therapeutic taping group was seven times more likely than the untreated group to report reduction in pain.  The therapeutic group also reported significant improvements in disability and other secondary measures.  The improvements were sustained over three weeks.  The authors speculate that changes in the distribution of patellofemoral joint pressures may improve proprioceptive acuity, qaudricep strength, and neuromotor control of the knee.

At Balanced Physical Therapy, the therapeutic approach for osteoarthritis of the knee corresponds with the research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine3,4 and the British Medical Journal.5  By combining efficient physical therapy programs, home exercise programs, and other proven effective approaches, Balanced Physical Therapy provides a proven option for improving the lives of your patients with arthritis.

REFERENCES

  1. Felson DT, Zhang Y. An update on the epidemiology of the knee and hip osteoarthritis with a view to prevention. Arthritis Rhuem 1998; 41: 1343-55.
  2. Communication Technologies. A study of help-seeking among individuals with musculoskeletal conditions in San Mateo County. National Arthritis Foundation. San Francisco, CA 1993.
  3. Deyle GD, et al. Effectiveness of manual physical therapy and exercise in osteoarthritis of the knee. A randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med February 1, 200: 132: 173-81.
  4. Deyle GD, et al. Effectiveness of manual physical therapy and exercise in osteoarthritis of the knee. A randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med February 1, 2000; 132: 173-81.
  5. Hinman RS, et al. Efficacy of knee taping in the management of osteoarthritis of the knee: blinded randomized controlled trial. BMJ July 19, 2003; 327: 135-8.

©BMA 2008

One Response to “Osteoarthritis of the Knee – Achieving Long-Term Success”

  1. Osteoarthritis Of The Knee: What Can You Do? | Arthritis In Knee says on September 22nd, 2011:

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