Several individual RCTs demonstrated clinical ly important improvements in pain and disability with aerobic exercise .
Other PT interventions demonstrated no sustained benefit .
Individual RCTs showed similar benefits with aerobic , aquatic , and strengthening exercise .
Adverse events were uncommon and did not deter participants from continuing treatment .
Low-strength evidence suggested that only a few PT interventions were effective .
BACKGROUND Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of disability .
Nonsurgical treatment is a key first step .
PURPOSE Systematic literature review of physical therapy ( PT ) interventions for community-dwelling adults with knee osteoarthritis .
Effects of weight-bearing versus nonweight-bearing exercise on function, walking speed, and position sense in participants with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE To investigate whether weight-bearing ( WB ) exercise enhances functional capacity to a greater extent than nonweight-bearing ( NWB ) exercise in participants with knee osteoarthritis . DESIGN R and omized controlled trial . SETTING Kinesiology laboratory . PARTICIPANTS Participants ( N=106 ) were r and omly assigned to WB exercise , NWB exercise , or a control group ( no exercise ) . INTERVENTION WB exercise and NWB exercise groups underwent an 8-week knee extension-flexion exercise program . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index ( WOMAC ) function scale , walking speed , muscle torque , and knee reposition error were assessed before and after intervention . RESULTS Equally significant improvements were apparent for all outcomes after WB exercise and NWB exercise , except for reposition error , for which improvement was greater in the WB exercise group . In contrast , there were no improvements in the control group . CONCLUSIONS Simple knee flexion and extension exercises ( WB and NWB ) performed over 8 weeks result ed in significant improvement in the WOMAC function scale and knee strength compared with the control group . NWB exercise alone may be sufficient enough to improve function and muscle strength . The additional benefit of WB exercise was improved position sense , which may enhance complex walking tasks ( walking on figure of 8 route and spongy surface )
Several individual RCTs demonstrated clinical ly important improvements in pain and disability with aerobic exercise .
Other PT interventions demonstrated no sustained benefit .
Individual RCTs showed similar benefits with aerobic , aquatic , and strengthening exercise .
Adverse events were uncommon and did not deter participants from continuing treatment .
Low-strength evidence suggested that only a few PT interventions were effective .
BACKGROUND Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of disability .
Nonsurgical treatment is a key first step .
PURPOSE Systematic literature review of physical therapy ( PT ) interventions for community-dwelling adults with knee osteoarthritis .