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 .
Therapeutic effect of spa therapy and short wave therapy in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, single blind, controlled trial
Spa therapy and short wave therapy are two of the most commonly used non-pharmacological approaches for  osteoarthritis .  The aim of this study was to assess their efficacy in comparison to conventional therapy in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee in a single blind , r and omized , controlled trial . Seventy-four out patients were enrolled ; 30 patients were treated with a combination of daily local mud packs and arsenical ferruginous mineral bath water from the thermal resort of Levico Terme ( Trento , Italy ) for 3 weeks ; 24 patients were treated with short wave therapy for the same period and 20 patients continued regular , routine ambulatory care . Patients were assessed at baseline , upon completion of the 3-week treatment period , and 12 weeks later . Spa therapy and short wave therapy both demonstrated effective symptomatic treatment in osteoarthritis of the knee at the end of the treatment , but only the spa therapy was shown to have efficacy persistent over time . Our study demonstrated the superiority of arsenical ferruginous spa therapy compared to short wave therapy in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee , probably in relationship to the specific effects of the minerals in this water
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 .