Effectiveness of Quadriceps Strengthening Exercises in Reducing Extensor Lag, Pain and Improving Functional Activity in Patients of Knee Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease prevalence increases with age, woman being more symptomatic especially seen in post menopausal women. Quadriceps muscle weakness leads to functional dysfunction in knee osteoarthritis. Rehabilitation includes quadriceps exercises static as well as dynamic exercises for improving range of motion and strength. Biofeedback can be combined with isometric exercises to increase the awareness of the muscle work done by quadriceps.

Purpose of the study was to find the effectiveness of Quadriceps strengthening exercises in reducing extensor lag, pain and improving functional activity in patients of osteoarthritic knee.

To compare the Effectiveness of Quadriceps strengthening exercises in reducing extensor lag, VAS and improving functional activity in patients of osteoarthritic knee.

To find out the Effectiveness of Quadriceps strengthening exercises and modified quadriceps strengthening exercises with or without biofeedback in reducing extensor lag, VAS and improving functional activity in patients of osteoarthritic knee.

This experimental study was conducted on 60 Osteoarthritic knee patients and they were divided into 3 groups, 20 patients were included in each group. Patient aged 50–75 years were taken from NDMVP Hospital and research centre and physiotherapy clinic in an around Nasik. Convenience sampling method was used for study. WOMAC scale, VAS and terminal extensor lag was assessed.

P value: 0.036, 0.001 and less than 0.05 for extensor lag, VAS and WOMAC respectively as the mean difference value is more in group 3 therefore group 3 i.e. Modified Quadriceps sets with biofeedbackis clinically and statistically more effective than group 2 and 3.

All three groups were effective in reducing extensor lag, pain and improving functional activity in patients with knee osteoarthritis. It was also seen that in group 3 i.e. Modified Quadriceps sets with biofeedback clinically more improvement was seen as compared to the other groups.