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 different stretching techniques on the outcomes of isokinetic exercise in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
We recruited 132 subjects with bilateral knee osteoarthritis ( Altman Grade II ) to compare the effects of different stretching techniques on the outcomes of isokinetic muscle strengthening exercises . Patients were r and omly divided into four groups ( I-IV ) . The patients in Group I received isokinetic muscular strengthening exercises , Group II received bilateral knee static stretching and isokinetic exercises , Group III received proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation ( PNF ) stretching and isokinetic exercises , and Group IV acted as controls . Outcomes were measured by changes in Lequesne 's index , range of knee motion , visual analog pain scale , and peak muscle torques during knee flexion and extension . Patients in all the treated groups experienced significant reductions in knee pain and disability , and increased peak muscle torques after treatment and at follow-up . However , only patients in Groups II and III had significant improvements in range of motion and muscle strength gain during 60 degrees/second angular velocity peak torques . Group III demonstrated the greatest increase in muscle strength gain during 180 degrees/second angular velocity peak torques . In conclusion , stretching therapy could increase the effectiveness of isokinetic exercise in terms of functional improvement in patients with knee osteoarthritis . PNF techniques were more effective than static stretching
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 .