Journal of Novel Physiotherapies
Open Access

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis causing physical disability in aging adult can lead to restrained attendance in exercise and practice of their interests. As the prevalence of this problem is high, it becomes necessary to find low-priced, easy-to-administer, nonpharmacological intervention to manage the symptoms. Hence an experimental research with a pretest-posttest control group design, among subjects aged between 50-65 years with knee osteoarthritis based on the American College of Rheumatology criteria and Kellegran-Lawrence classification (n=186) were randomized into three groups namely therapeutic exercise, yoga, and control groups was conducted in clinical set up. Therapeutic exercise group subjects received therapeutic exercise and hot packs; yoga group received yoga and hot packs, and the control group received routine physiotherapy for a period of four weeks, three times in a week. Physical disability scores (KOOS) in the therapeutic exercise group were higher than the yoga and control group. Compared to the yoga and control group, the effect size was large in the therapeutic group in physical disability scores. Large effect size in therapeutic group in Psychological wellbeing showed the substantial effect of therapeutic exercise among patients. In post test, pain scores (VAS) decreased in the therapeutic exercise group significantly. Psychological wellbeing scores improved in the therapeutic exercise group and yoga group. In the therapeutic exercise group, the mobility scores differed significantly between pre and post test showing effect of therapeutic exercise. Various factors like age, occupation, duration, and BMI had statistically significant effect on physical disability, pain, psychological well being and mobility in knee osteoarthritis.

Biography

Beulah Jebakani is working as an Associate Professor in Physiotherapy at Mother Theresa Post Graduate & Research Institute of Health Sciences. She received her Doctoral degree in Physiotherapy from Saveetha University, Chennai and is an Alumni of CMC & H Vellore, India. She also has MPhil degree in Psychology. Currently, she teaches Biomechanics, Educational technology, Obstetrics and Gynecological physiotherapy. She has published in indexed journals and presented papers and has also received professional award. She is also InSPA founder member and interested in health psychology. She has more than 20 years of professional and 17 years of teaching and research experience.

Email: mother2014@rediffmail.com