Major guidelines recommend exercise, patient education, and weight loss as first-line treatment for osteoarthritis. Ninety-three patients with mild to moderate medial knee osteoarthritis – “a group we commonly see in primary care, has been noted – were randomized to the structured eight-week neuromuscular exercise therapy program or to eight weeks of instructions in the appropriate use of NSAIDs and acetaminophen. The exercise program entailed to our long physical therapist supervised sessions per week, which included functional proprioceptive, strength and endurance exercises of three or four progressive degrees of difficulty. The neuromuscular exercise therapy group showed a significantly greater improvement on the knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome scores (KOOS) symptom subscale at 12 months. Across the board, on the symptoms, activities of daily living, pain, sports and recreation, and quality of the life of subscales, the exercise therapy graduates did better.

Source: Philippine Star April 14, 2018 15:56 UTC