If you’re looking for a pill free approach to alleviating pain and swelling due to knee arthritis, physical therapy exercises might be just the ticket.
Physiotherapist Alex Lee had a 64-year-old patient with knee arthritis. She experienced difficulty walking for more than 10 minutes at a time due to pain. Her stiff knee joints and weak leg muscles made her afraid of falling.
Approximately six weeks after her first hydrotherapy treatment, she was able to walk for more than 30 minutes without having to stop. Her pain decreased dramatically, and she was stronger and more confident on her feet. It was the first time in years that she reported having felt as if her body was working with her rather than against her.
Approximately 10 percent of men and 13 percent of women over 60 have knee arthritis, a condition associated with pain and disability.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, are commonly prescribed treatments, but have side effects. According to research, adverse effects include a 4-fold increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and more than double the risk of acute kidney injury within 30 days in patients over 65.
Knee Braces: Best of 12
A network meta-analysis, published in June in PLOS One, compared 12 physical therapy interventions for knee arthritis. Researchers found that of the 12, knee braces were the best choice. Following that, hydrotherapy and general exercise were deemed the most effective.
According to the meta-analysis findings, knee bracing showed the highest likelihood of being the best intervention, as it produced high scores in reducing pain, relieving stiffness, and improving function. Hydrotherapy was very effective in alleviating pain, while general exercise was consistently effective in alleviating pain and boosting function. Shockwave therapy and high-intensity laser therapy had some benefits, and ultrasound had the lowest effectiveness scores.
The researchers acknowledged several limitations of their study that may have affected the precision of the rankings, including the small sample sizes of the trials, differences in study design, and variations in treatment durations. However, they suggested that physical therapy offers substantial benefits that comes without the risks of anti-inflammatory drugs.
By Mary West
