A study to assess the effectiveness of hot water application with epsom salt to reduce knee joint pain the among elderly in selected villages at Madurai district
Authors: Priyanka M , Esther Christina 
Published: September 2023

The human life cycle has six main stages namely fetus, infant, child, adolescent, adult, and elderly. People continually and gradually age day to day throughout these stages. Old age is the final stage of human existence. The traditional threshold between middle age and old age is sixty. During the period of old age, the elderly face many illnesses and degenerative diseases. Pain is defined as an unwanted sensation that occurs with varying degrees of severity as a result of illness, injury, or emotional disturbance. But pain is more than an unpleasant sensation. Overall 654.1% million individuals with knee Osteoarthritis in 2020 worldwide. According to a similar finding reported in release, India is likely to notice an endemic of Osteoarthritis with 80% of the patients above 65 years population suffering from wear and tear of joints Osteoarthritis. In Tamil Nadu 43.4% of the elderly population had a complaint of joint pains and stiffness.

An aim of the study is to reduce the level of knee joint pain among elderly in selected villages at Madurai district.

A quasi experimental research using one group pre-test post-test was conducted with simple random sample of 60 elderly. A modified structure questioner on knee joint pain scale was developed by the researcher to assess level of knee joint pain among elderly. Need based awareness programme in kaithirinagar and also ready the pamphlet on knee joint pain which includes definition, causes, signs and symptoms, and management. This tool will take a part in the future health of the elderly.

The Participants or study of the study Maximum 30(50%) belongs to age group of 60-65 Years. The Participants or study of the study include both male and female; Maximum 48(80%) Participants or study are female. In religion, nearly 34(56.66%) of then belongs to Hindu. In this study, Maximum30 (50%) Participants or study have primary education. In occupation, Maximum 22(36.66%) of them was sedentary workers. More than half of the Participants or study 58 (96.66%) have an income below 10,000. Maximum 31 (51.66%) Participants or study were taken treatment 6 months – 1year. Majority 52 (86.66%) Participants or study were mixed vegetarian. Nearly 38 (63.33%) of them taken allopathic. In pre-test, most of them 40 (66.66%) had a severe levels of pain and 20(33.33%) of them had an extreme levels of pain. In the post-test elderly pain, level was reduced that is 47(78.33%) of them had mild levels of pain and 13(21.66%) of them had a moderate levels of pain.

The main study concluded that in pre-assessment, the level of knee joint pain among the elderly is moderate and extreme. So the researcher used hot water application with Epsom salt to reduce post-assessment level of knee joint pain. Many of the elderly reported that after application, they feel reduced pain and feel comfortable during work. Hence the researcher feels that along with intervention to conduct a health awareness programme in kaithirinagar and also ready the pamphlet on knee joint pain which includes definition, causes, signs and symptoms, and management. This tool will take a part in the future health of the elderly.