Efficacy of Electromyographic Biofeedback Training on Pain and Functional Status in Osteoarthritis of Knee

To evaluate the effectiveness of Electromyographic biofeedback as an add-on therapy with isometric exercise on pain and functional status in patient with osteoarthritis of knee.

Pretest-posttest control group design.

Outpatient physiotherapy department, Majeedia Hospital, New Delhi.

Thirty patients (9 men, 21 women) with Osteoarthritis of Knee. Patients were randomly placed into two groups: biofeedback group (n=15) and a control group (n=15).

The biofeedback group received electromyographic biofeedback guided isometric exercise program for 5 days a week for 3 week, whereas the control group received an exercise program only.

Main Outcome Measures: Pain intensity and functional status of the patients were measured by a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the reduced WOMAC scale respectively.

Significant improvements were shown for both the VAS and reduced WOMAC in both groups (p<0.05).On between group comparisons, biofeedback group showed significantly greater improvement in both the VAS and reduced WOMAC values at the end of 3 week and after 2 week follow-up i.e. on 5th week, than those of control group (p<0.05).

The addition of electromyographic-biofeedback to isometric exercise program has been shown to produce greater reduction in pain intensity and improved functional status than isometric exercise alone over a 3 week period. This study may provide a rationale for the clinical use of electromyographic-biofeedback.