Effects of non-surgical joint distraction in the treatment of severe knee osteoarthritis.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical results of non surgical knee distraction in patients with severe knee osteoarthritis.

METHOD: forty female patients with severe knee osteoarthritis were randomly divided in two groups. A standard physiotherapy treatment was applied to both groups and in one group it was accompanied with 20 min knee joint distraction. The patients were treated for 10 sessions. Clinical examination consisted of functional examination, completion of a quality of life questionnaire, pain scale, and assessment of joint mobility and joint edema.

RESULT: The standard physiotherapy treatment accompanied by knee distraction resulted in significantly higher improvement in pain (P = 0.004), functional ability (P = 0.02), quality of life (P = 0.002) and knee flexion range of motion (p = 0.02) compared to the standard physiotherapy treatment alone post treatment and after 1 month follow up.

CONCLUSION: Adding knee distraction to standard physiotherapy treatment can result in further improvement in pain relief, increased functional ability and better quality of life in patients with severe knee osteoarthritis.