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THE EFFICACY OF BALNEOTHERAPY IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS. Serap ALPER MD. Dokuz Eylül University Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department İZMİR. This study is designed to assess the efficacy of balneotherapy in patients with osteoarthritis of the knees.
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THE EFFICACY OF BALNEOTHERAPY IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS Serap ALPER MD.Dokuz Eylül UniversityPhysical Medicine and Rehabilitation DepartmentİZMİR
This study is designed to assess the efficacy of balneotherapy in patients with osteoarthritis of the knees.
32 patients fullfilling the diagnostic criteria of American College of Rheumatology were included in the study.
The patients were divided into two groups. • Group I was treated with balneotherapy for 3 weeks in Balçova Spa and home exercise therapy. • Group II was only treated with home exercise therapy.
The evaluation parameters were; self reported Western Ontario MacMaster Questionnaire (WOMAC) WOMAC pain, WOMAC joint stiffness, WOMAC physical function scores, range of motion assessment with goniometry, Nottingham Health Profile and visuel analog scale for pain.
Osteoarthritis is a chronic disorder characterized by softening and disintegration of articular cartilage, with reactive phenomena such as vascular congestion and osteoblastic activity in the subcortical bone, new growth of cartilage and bone (i,e,.osteophytes) at the joint margins and capsular fibrosis.
The aim of balneotherapy in osteoarthritis is: • to increase ROM • decrease muscle spasm • improve functional mobility • decrease pain • increase QoL
Table 2. Comparison of the Groups before Therapy VAS : Visuel Analog Scale WOMAC : Western Ontario MacMaster Questionnaire * : p<0.05
Table 3. Evaluation of the Patients in the Spa Therapy Group Before and After the Therapy VAS : Visuel Analog Scale WOMAC : Western Ontario MacMaster Questionnaire * : p<0.05
Table 4.Evaluation of the Patients in the Control Group Before and After the Therapy VAS : Visuel Analog Scale WOMAC : Western Ontario MacMaster Questionnaire * : p<0.05
Table 5. Improvements in Subgroups of the Nottingham Health Profile * : p<0.05
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Conclusion In knee osteoarthritis patients, in early therapy period balneotherapy was no better than home exercise therapy. We need longterm, Large series of controlled studies to find out the effectiviness of balneotherapy in knee osteoarthritis.