The Effectivity of Physiotherapy Modification Technique on Pain, Muscle Weakness, Joint Stiffness, and Abnormal Walking Pattern on People with Knee Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis is a degenerative and progressive joint disease characterized by damage to joint cartilage and joint structure accompanied by new bone growth on the edge of the joint (osteophytes). Patients with knee osteoarthritis have complaints of pain, morning stiffness, and inflammation in the joints, limited scope of joint motion, decreased muscle strength, joint instability and functional ability problems. Physiotherapy modification technique is one of the physiotherapy techniques that can be used to deal with pain problems, joint stiffness, decreased muscle strength, and abnormal walking patterns in patients with knee osteoarthritis. This study aims to determine whether there is an effect of physiotherapy modification techniques on changes in pain, muscle strength, joint stiffness and walking patterns in patients with knee osteoarthritis.This study is a quasi-experimental research with time series design. Twenty-five subjects who met inclusion criteria were recruited to participate. The outcome measure used were Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) to measure pain, Range of Motion (ROM) to measure joint stiffness, Manual Muscle Test (MMT) to measure muscle strength, and the gait cycle measurement to measure walking pattern.

Measurements were made at baseline, after 3 times and 6 times of treatments. Data analysis was using paired T test and Wilcoxon test.The results showed that there was a decreased pain intensity, increased knee flexion/extension ROM and muscle strength, and improved walking pattern after being given 3 times and 6 times of treatments (p < 0.001). In conclusion, physiotherapy modification technique has a significant effect on decreasing pain, increasing muscle strength, and improving joint stiffness and walking pattern of people with knee osteoarthritis.