DIFFERENTIAL EFFICACY OF BALANCE AND PROPRIOCEPTION EXERCISE AND DYNAMIC RESISTANCE EXERCISE ON PAIN, FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES, AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Abstract

Background: Osteoarthritis of the knee is a condition that commonly leads to pain, mobility issues, and a general decrease in quality of life for elderly individuals. Two forms of physical therapy that are often used as treatment for these symptoms include balance and proprioception exercises, as well as dynamic resistance exercises. Each of these forms of exercise work to address different aspects of mobility for these patients. For instance, balance and proprioception exercises help to improve a patient’s ability to maintain their position while performing certain tasks, while dynamic resistance exercises help to increase the strength of the muscles that contribute to the mobility of the joint. Therefore, the goal of the study was to investigate and compare the effectiveness of each of these exercise regimes in elderly individuals with osteoarthritis of the knee.

Methods: This study was conducted in the outpatient department of the Faculty of Physiotherapy, Dr. MGR Educational and Research Institute in Chennai. The study was conducted over a six-month period. Thirty elderly participants (aged ≥60 years) with clinically diagnosed knee osteoarthritis were enrolled through simple random sampling and allocated equally into two groups (n = 15 each). Group A received balance and proprioception exercises, while Group B underwent dynamic resistance exercises, each delivered under supervision three times weekly for eight weeks. Participants who could walk independently and had not undergone structured balance or resistance training in the preceding six months were included, while those with recent lower-limb fractures or surgery, neurological or vestibular disorders, uncontrolled hypertension, severe joint deformity, inflammatory arthritis, or cognitive impairment were excluded. Pain intensity and functional status were assessed before and after intervention using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC).

Results: Both groups demonstrated statistically significant within-group improvements in VAS and WOMAC scores following intervention (P ≤ 0.05). Between-group comparison showed that Group A achieved a lower post-test mean VAS score (3.13 ± 0.52) than Group B (4.13 ± 0.64), and a lower post-test mean WOMAC score (60.00 ± 5.18) than Group B (70.00 ± 8.30), with both differences being statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05). These findings led to rejection of the null hypothesis.

Conclusion: Both balance and proprioception exercise and dynamic resistance exercise reduced pain and improved physical function in elderly patients with knee osteoarthritis, but balance and proprioception exercise produced superior outcomes. Incorporating balance and proprioception training into rehabilitation protocols may enhance therapeutic benefit for this population.

 Keywords: Knee Osteoarthritis, Balance Training, Proprioceptive Exercise, Resistance Training, Pain Management, Physical Function