Among all the studies , the most relevant indexes used to measure effectiveness of spa therapy were improved including VAS , Lequesne , and WOMAC Score .
Conclusions The mud-pack therapy , balneotherapy , mud-bath therapy , and spa therapy have proved to be effective in the treatment and in the secondary prevention of knee osteoarthritis , by reducing pain , nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug consumption , and functional limitation and improving quality of life of affected patients
Background Osteoarthritis ( OA ) is the most common musculoskeletal disease in the world .
OA is the result of an inflammatory and degenerative process affecting the entire joint .
Osteoarthritis , especially involving the knee , has a relevant socioeconomic impact in terms of drugs , hospital admissions , work absences , and temporary or permanent invalidity .
Therapy of knee osteoarthritis is based on pharmacological and nonpharmacological measures .
A 10-day course of SPA therapy is beneficial for people with severe knee osteoarthritis
The objective of this study was to test if spa therapy can play a role in the management of severe knee osteoarthritis ( OA ) . Twenty patients with radiologically and clinical ly severe knee OA were r and omly assigned into spa and drug therapy groups . Spa group ( n = 10 ) traveled to a spa town and stayed at a hotel for a 10-day spa therapy course . They followed a balneotherapy regimen including thermal pool baths at 37 ° C for 20 min two times daily . Drug therapy group ( n = 10 ) stayed at home and followed their individually prescribed drug therapy ( NSAIDs and paracetamol ) . Patients were assessed at baseline ( week 0 ) , after spa therapy at 2 weeks ( week 2 ) and during follow-up period at 12 ( week 12 ) and 24 ( week 24 ) weeks by a blinded investigator . Patients assessed with Lequesne algofunctional index ( LAFI ) , pain ( visual analogue scale , VAS ) , patient ’s and investigator ’s global evaluation ( VAS ) , ten-stairs stepping up and down time , 15 m walking time and three times squatting up and down time . Significant improvement in pain and LAFI scores were found at week 2 , week 12 and week 24 in the spa therapy group compared to baseline . Comparing the two group differences , spa therapy was superior to drug therapy in pain reduction and in physician ’s global assessment at all time points . This superiority was also found in LAFI scores and patients ’ global assessment s at week 12 and week 24 . A 10-day course of spa therapy may be beneficial in short- and medium-term up to 24 weeks by reducing pain and improving functional status and overall well-being in patients with severe knee OA and may be considered as an effective therapeutic tool for such patients in countries like Turkey where it is widely available and ( at least partly ) reimbursed
Among all the studies , the most relevant indexes used to measure effectiveness of spa therapy were improved including VAS , Lequesne , and WOMAC Score .
Conclusions The mud-pack therapy , balneotherapy , mud-bath therapy , and spa therapy have proved to be effective in the treatment and in the secondary prevention of knee osteoarthritis , by reducing pain , nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug consumption , and functional limitation and improving quality of life of affected patients
Background Osteoarthritis ( OA ) is the most common musculoskeletal disease in the world .
OA is the result of an inflammatory and degenerative process affecting the entire joint .
Osteoarthritis , especially involving the knee , has a relevant socioeconomic impact in terms of drugs , hospital admissions , work absences , and temporary or permanent invalidity .
Therapy of knee osteoarthritis is based on pharmacological and nonpharmacological measures .