To Compare the Effectiveness of Supervised Clinical Exercises and Manual Therapy of the Knee Joint with Home based Exercises

The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes between a home-based physical therapy program and a clinically based physical therapy program.

Sixty subjects with OA of the knee were randomly assigned to a clinic treatment group (n=60 18 females 12 males; age between 40–60 years) or a home exercise group (n=60, 17 female, 13 male age between 40–60 years).

Subjects in the clinic treatment group received supervised exercise, individualized manual therapy, and a home exercise program over a 3-week period. Initial treatment session was given in the clinic under the supervision of the therapist, home program was given to them to perform at home. They were reviewed in the clinic after one week for any aggravation of symptoms and furher exercises were taught to them according to their condition. Initially the physical assessment of both groups was done in the clinic by the physiotherapist using WOMAC assessment form for OA knee joint, then to perform pre-test WOMAC osteoarthritis index scale. Both groups received the same home exercise program initially; measured outcome was the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC).

Both groups showed clinically and statistically significant improvements in WOMAC scores at 3 weeks; by 3week, WOMAC scores had improved by 53% in the clinic treatment group and by 32% in the home exercise group.