Comparing the Effect of continuous and Intermittent Physiotherapy on the Pain and Function in Moderate Knee Osteoarthritis; A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial Study

Introduction: Osteoarthritis is one of the common types of joint disorder. This study compared the effects of continuous and intermittent physiotherapy on the pain and function of the individuals with moderate knee osteoarthritis.Materials and Methods: This randomized clinical trial study included ۲۰ patients with moderate knee osteoarthritis randomly assigned into continuous and intermittent physiotherapy groups. The intervention was exactly the same for both groups including ۱۰ sessions of conventional physical therapy. The treatment frequency was ۶ and ۳ sessions per week for continuous and intermittent groups, respectively. Using Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and Intermittent and Constant Osteoarthritis Pain (ICOAP) questioners, ۶-minute-walking test, timed get up and go test, pain based on visual analogue scale (VAS), and function were assessed before, after ۱۰ sessions, and after one month of follow up. The outcome was analyzed using independent t-test and, repeated measures ANOVA.Results: Prior to the study, there was no significant difference between groups (P > ۰.۰۵). At the end of the ۱۰th treatment session (P = ۰.۰۴۸), and after ۱ month of follow up (P = ۰.۰۳۰), only the daily activity subscale of the KOOS questionnaire was significantly less in the continuous group. The records of ۶-minute-walk test (P = ۰.۰۴۶), timed get up and go test (P = ۰.۰۴۰), continuous pain (P = ۰.۰۰۶), symptoms (P = ۰.۰۲۰), pain (P = ۰.۰۰۳), and quality of life (P = ۰.۰۱۰) subclasses of KOOS improved significantly in continuous group. After one month of follow up, daily activity subclass and pain based on VAS score were significantly better than baseline records (P = ۰.۰۰۲). In intermittent group, pain based on VAS score (P = ۰.۰۰۲) and continuous pain (P = ۰.۰۳۰) improved significantly after ۱۰th session and follow up period).Conclusion: It seems that the frequency of the treatment sessions has no significant effect on the treatment results in short term. Thus, the physiotherapist may take the subject's preference and their time limitations for scheduling the sessions. Continuous intervention may probably be the better choice to reach better results while intermittent protocol may result in more lasting effects.

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استئوآرتریت زانو ، درد ، عملکرد ، فیزیوتراپی پیوسته و متناوب