Background Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of lower extremity OA. Systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) indicate that exercise therapy reduces pain and patient-reported disability in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA), but to date, type and the optimal exercise regimen has not been identified.

Objectives The aim of our study was to determine the effects of whole body vibration training exercise, progressive resistive exercise, home-based exercise used in osteoarthritis treatment on pain, muscle strength, functional status and quality of life.

Methods Fourty five patients (mean age=53,86±5,33 years, 43 female, 2 male) diagnosed with bilateral knee osteoarthritis (Grade II-III, Kellgren &Lawrence) were included in this study. The assesments were performed at baseline, after third months when they completed the exercise programme and sixth months. Whole body vibration exercise training in Group-1; progressive resistive exercise training in Group-2; home-based exercise training in Group-3; were applied for three days per week, three months, totally 36 sessions. All the groups were included patient education programme at baseline. The pain was assesed according to Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and quadriceps muscle strength was evaluated by using Handheld dynamometry. The functional status of the patients was evaluated by WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities) index and health related quality of life was evaluated by Nottingham Health Profile (NHP).

Results Significant improvement was found after treatment on pain, quadriceps muscle strength, functional status and quality of life in all groups (p<0.05). When the groups compared by ANOVA it was found that outcome measures were not significantly different between Group-1, Group-2 and Group-3 (p>0.05).

Conclusions Supervised resistive exercises and whole body vibration exercises were more effective in strengthening lower extremity muscles when compared to home exercise training in patients with knee OA. However, the increase in muscle strength was not observed at long- term follow- up in both groups. Neither whole body vibration exercise training programme nor progressive resistive exercise and home-based exercise programme were found to be superior for the treatment of osteoarthritis. All types of exercise training programmes were beneficial for pain, functional status, quadriceps muscle strength and quality of life. Further studies with long-term follow-up are warrented.

References

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2. Thomas KS, Muir KR, Doherty M, Jones AC, O'Reilly SC, Bassey EJ. Home based exercise programme for knee pain and knee osteoarthritis: randomised controlled trial. BMJ 2002; 325–752.

3. Jordan KM, Arden NK, Doherty M, et al. EULAR Recommendations 2003: an evidence based approach to the management of kneeosteoarthritis: Report of a task force of the standing committe for international clinical studies including therapeutic trials (ESCISIT). Ann Rheum Dis 2003;62:1145–55.

4. Li X, Wang X, Chen B, Huang L, Liu Y. Whole –body vibration exercise for knee osteoarthritis:a systematic review and meta-analysis. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2015; 1:1–11.

References

Disclosure of Interest None declared