The Efficacy of Manual Therapy in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review.

Alexios Tsokanos,Konstantinos Fousekis,Elpiniki Livieratou,Petros Tatsios,Elias Tsepis,Evdokia Billis,Maria Tsekoura

doi:10.3390/medicina57070696

Alexios Tsokanos, Konstantinos Fousekis + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina57070696

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Abstract

Background and objectives: Osteoarthritis (OA) is among the most common degenerative diseases that induce pain, stiffness and reduced functionality. Various physiotherapy techniques and methods have been used for the treatment of OA, including soft tissue techniques, therapeutic exercises, and manual techniques. The primary aim of this systemic review was to evaluate the short-and long-term efficacy of manual therapy (MT) in patients with knee OA in terms of decreasing pain and improving knee range of motion (ROM) and functionality. Materials and Methods: A computerised search on the PubMed, PEDro and CENTRAL databases was performed to identify controlled randomised clinical trials (RCTs) that focused on MT applications in patients with knee OA. The keywords used were ‘knee OA’, ‘knee arthritis’, ‘MT’, ‘mobilisation’, ‘ROM’ and ‘WOMAC’. Results: Six RCTs and randomised crossover studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. The available studies indicated that MT can induce a short-term reduction in pain and an increase in knee ROM and functionality in patients with knee OA. Conclusions: MT techniques can contribute positively to the treatment of patients with knee OA by reducing pain and increasing functionality. Further research is needed to strengthen these findings by comparing the efficacy of MT with those of other therapeutic techniques and methods, both in the short and long terms.

Highlights

Osteoarthritis (OA) is among the most common, chronic and degenerative diseases of cartilage that epidemiologically affects older people, especially women [1,2,3]
Considering the above-mentioned scientific deficit, in this systematic review, we evaluated previous studies to assess the effect of manual therapy (MT) on knee OA symptoms
We investigated the effectiveness of MT techniques in patients with knee OA

Summary

Introduction

Osteoarthritis (OA) is among the most common, chronic and degenerative diseases of cartilage that epidemiologically affects older people, especially women [1,2,3] It is a common condition of the musculoskeletal system that can occur in any joint such as the upper limbs or spine, but it is mainly observed in large joints of the lower extremities, such as the hip and knee [4,5].These joints are mainly responsible for loading activities, which require smooth, successful completion and absorption of loads or vibrations [3]. The therapeutic techniques applied in the rehabilitation of patients with OA include therapeutic exercise, electrotherapy and manual therapy (MT) Of these techniques, MT is a hands-on physiotherapeutic approach that can decrease patients’ levels of pain and improve their functionality [7,8,9]. Further research is needed to strengthen these findings by comparing the efficacy of MT with those of other therapeutic techniques and methods, both in the short and long terms

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Conclusion