J Korean Acad Rehabil Med.  2000 Oct;24(5):966-971.

Effects of Therapeutic Exercise on Patients with Osteoarthritis of Knee

• Na YM
• Seok H
• Park YG
• Seo CH
• Seong YJ
• Park JR
• Moon JH

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of therapeutic exercise on patients with osteoarthritis of knee in view of functional capacity. METHOD: The subjects were 80 patients with osteoarthritis of knee. Patients were randomly allocated to exercise or no exercise (control) group. Osteoarthritis was diagnosed on the base of clinical features, X ray findings. Therapeutic exercise was consisted of quad-setting exercise, isokinetic exercise, squatting exercise. Effects of therapeutic exercise were evaluated by muscle function, functioal performance and degree of pain.
RESULTS
In exercise group, muscle function such as torque and endurance of extensor and flexor of knee were increased significantly compaired with control group (p<0.05). Increment was more apparent in extensor. In both group, pain was decreased but more apparent in exercise group (p<0.05). Functional performance was assessed in terms of dependency, difficulty and amount of pain. Exercise group showed improvement of functional performance in walking inside, climbing stairs (p<0.05) but control group did not show improvement. Seventy percent of patients with osteoarthritis of knee showed increment of body weight above 10 kg compaired with their twenties.
CONCLUSION
When we manage the osteoarthritis of knee, therapeutic exercise should be included in the treatment regimen as well as physical and medical therapy.

Keyword

Osteoarthritis; Exercise; Muscle function; Functional performance; Pain

MeSH Terms

Body Weight
Humans
Knee
Osteoarthritis*
Osteoarthritis, Knee*
Torque
Walking