Effect Of SNPE Program On Knee Joint Function, Pain, And Muscle Tone In Women With Chronic Knee Pain

Abstract

The Self Natural Posture Exercise (SNPE), created in Korea, helps to improve chronic musculoskeletal pain and joint function. PURPOSE: This study aimed to verify the effect of SNPE on knee joint function, pain, and muscle tone in women in their 20s-40s with chronic knee joint pain. METHODS: Thirty one women (34.4 ± 6.9 yrs, 161.2 ± 4.7 cm, 55.8 ± 8.6 kg, 21.5 ± 3.0 kg/m2) with chronic knee joint pain for more than 3 months were divided into two groups; exercise (EG: n = 19) and control (CG: n = 12). EG underwent SNPE Lower Limb Conditioning Program 80 min per session, more than twice in a week, for 12 weeks. CG did not participate in any exercise programs. For EG, before and after the program, their knee joint function (Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index: WOMAC), pain (Pressure pain threshold: PPT), and muscle tone (MT) were measured. For CG, the identical measurements were also conducted during the same time period. PPT and MT were measured in the rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL), biceps femoris (BF), adductor magnus (AM), tibialis anterior (TA), and gastrocnemius (GN). Within group differences were compared using paired t-test, and inter-group differences were tested using ANCOVA. RESULTS: Knee joint function after SNPE in EG decreased (p < 0.001) (30.8 ± 19.2 in pre vs. 13.5 ± 16.2 in post) and was different from CG (p < 0.05). The PPT after SNPE in EG increased than the baseline in RF (6.1 ± 1.6 in pre vs. 7.9 ± 1.7 in post, p < 0.01), VL (4.5 ± 2.1 vs. 7.4 ± 1.5, p < 0.001), BF (8.9 ± 2.1 vs 10.9 ± 1.5, p < 0.001), GN (8.1 ± 2.1 vs. 9.2 ± 1.6, p < 0.005), and that between groups after SNPE were noticed in RF (p < 0.05), VL (p < 0.05), and BF (p < 0.05). The MT after SNPE in EG decreased than the baseline in RF (14.1 ± 0.6 in pre vs. 12.1 ± 0.7 in post, p < 0.001), VL (15.5 ± 1.7 vs. 13.4 ± 2.3, p < 0.001), BF (13.5 ± 1.0 vs. 12.6 ± 2.0, p < 0.05), AM (12.2 ± 0.9 vs. 11.4 ± 1.0, p < 0.001), TA (17.3 ± 1.4 vs. 16.5 ± 1.4, p < 0.005), and GN (13.1 ± 1.1 vs. 12.7 ± 1.1, p < 0.05), and that between groups after SNPE were noticed in RF (p < 0.01) and VL (p < 0.05). The MT in TA in CG changed (p < 0.05), from the baseline (17.2 ± 1.3) to the end of experiment (16.3 ± 1.2). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that SNPE can be an effective exercise for improving knee joint function, pain, and muscle tone in women with chronic knee pain.