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 .
The effect of dynamic versus isometric resistance training on pain and functioning among adults with osteoarthritis of the knee.
OBJECTIVE To compare 16 weeks of isometric versus dynamic resistance training versus a control on knee pain and functioning among patients with knee osteoarthritis ( OA ) . DESIGN R and omized clinical trial . SETTING Outpatient setting . PARTICIPANTS A total of 102 volunteer subjects with OA of the knee r and omized to isometric ( n=32 ) and dynamic ( n=35 ) resistance training groups or a control ( n=35 ) . INTERVENTIONS Strength exercises for the legs , 3 times weekly for 16 weeks . Dynamic group : exercises across a functional range of motion ; isometric : exercises at discrete joint angles . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The time to descend and ascend a flight of 27 stairs and to get down and up off of the floor . Knee pain was assessed immediately after each functional task . The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index was used to assess perceived pain , stiffness , and functional ability . RESULTS In the isometric group , time to perform all 4 functional tasks decreased ( P<.05 ) by 16 % to 23 % . In the dynamic group , time to descend and ascend stairs decreased by 13 % to 17 % . Both groups decreased knee pain while performing the functional tasks by 28 % to 58 % . Other measures of pain and functioning were significantly and favorably affected in the training groups . The improvements in the 2 training groups as a result of their respective therapies were not significantly different . The control group did not change over the duration of the study . CONCLUSION Dynamic or isometric resistance training improves functional ability and reduces knee joint pain of patients with knee OA
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 .