Effect of vibrotherapy in addition to resistance training exercises on pain, balance, proprioception and disability in patients with knee osteoarthritis
Description
Knee osteoarthritis is commonly associated with pain, functional limitations, impaired balance, and reduced proprioception. Local joint vibration therapy may provide additional sensory input and may enhance the effects of exercise-based rehabilitation. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of local joint vibration therapy in addition to resistance training exercises on pain, functional status, balance, and proprioception in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. A randomized controlled, sham-controlled study was conducted among 26 participants with knee osteoarthritis. Participants were randomly allocated into an experimental group and a control group, with 13 participants in each group. The experimental group received active local joint vibration therapy followed by resistance training exercises, whereas the control group received sham local joint vibration therapy followed by the same resistance training programme. Vibration was applied at 25 Hz over the medial and lateral tibiofemoral joint lines for 5 minutes at each site. The intervention was provided for four weeks. Pain, functional status, balance, and proprioception were assessed at baseline and after the intervention using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Comprehensive Knee Osteoarthritis Index (CKOAI), and Sensamove-based balance and proprioception measures. Significant within-group improvements were observed in both groups for several outcomes following the intervention. Between-group analysis demonstrated significantly lower post-intervention VAS scores in the experimental group compared with the control group (p=0.034). Significant between-group differences were also observed for Balance Centre (p=0.029), Balance Left (p=0.047), Proprioception Angle Difference Front (p=0.005), and Proprioception Radius Difference Right (p=0.007). No significant additional between-group difference was observed for CKOAI or several other balance and proprioception measures. The study concluded that Local joint vibration therapy combined with resistance training may provide additional benefits for pain and selected components of balance and proprioception compared with resistance training with sham vibration in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. Further studies with larger samples and longer follow-up are required to confirm these findings.
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Institutions
- Maharishi Markandeshwar University, MullanaHaryana, Ambāla