J Korean Geriatr Soc.  2014 Sep;18(3):153-161. 10.4235/jkgs.2014.18.3.153.

Effects of Adjuvant Hydrotherapy on Functional Status and Mental Relaxation in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: Preliminary Study

• Han EY
• Kim BR
• Im SH
• Choi JH
• Kim SM

• KMID: 2340303
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4235/jkgs.2014.18.3.153

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The aim of this study is to test if adjuvant hydrotherapy with viscosupplement is beneficial on management of pain, stiffness, function, and mental relaxation in knee osteoarthritis (OA).
METHODS
Nineteen patients with OA were randomly assigned to hydrotherapy or control groups. All patients received viscosupplement injections once a week for 3 weeks. Hydrotherapy group (n=9) had a spa containing green tea, 3 days a week for 2 weeks. The control group (n=10) received only injections. All patients were assessed at baseline and after the third injection. All were assessed for pain (visual analog scale, VAS), pain severity, and functional status (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index, WOMAC), emotional status, quality of life (Euro quality of life health-related quality of life inventory five dimension, EQ-5D), and relative spectral power of alpha waves in electroencephalography (EEG).
RESULTS
Both groups reported a statistically significant reduction of pain at the end of treatment and detailed assessment of pain, and function in WOMAC and the relative power of alpha in electroencephalogram showed statistical significant difference only in the hydrotherapy group. However, there were no significant intergroup differences, except for VAS score.
CONCLUSION
Adjuvant 2-week hydrotherapy to viscosupplement might have a modest role in the management of pain and functional disability and the mental relaxation in patients with knee OA. Larger, randomized controlled trials with intervention of long term period to determine efficacy in treating knee OA are warranted.

Keyword

Osteoarthritis; Green tea extract; Hydrotherapy; Electroencephalography; Viscosupplement

MeSH Terms

Electroencephalography
Humans
Hydrotherapy*
Knee
Ontario
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis, Knee*
Quality of Life
Relaxation*
Tea
Viscosupplements
Tea
Viscosupplements