Effects of an elastic band exercise program on patients with severe osteoarthritis from Damnoensaduak Hospital in Ratchaburi, Thailand

Abstract

Abstract

Context: Many studies present that an elastic band exercise program can be used for patients with severe osteoarthritis

Objective: To study the effectiveness of an elastic band exercise program for patients with severe osteoarthritis, using two groups of patients at Damnoensaduak Hospital. One group was control, and underwent usual physiotherapy. A second experimental group of patients
underwent an elastic band exercise program.

Method: This was a quasi-experimental study in which 29 participants in a control group underwent usual physiotherapy, followed by an assessment after weeks 1 and 4. The assessments were used to gauge the severity of each patient’s osteoarthritis symptoms. A second group of 30 participants in an experiment group also underwent usual physiotherapy, but received an additional elastic band exercise program. Assessments were made as well at weeks 1 and 4 to measure the severity of each patient’s osteoarthritis. Percentage, mean, standard deviations and independent t tests were applied for statistical data analysis. The McNemar Chi-Square test was used to determine the severity of osteoarthritis symptoms, as a
ratio between these two groups.

Results: The severity levels between the two groups was found to be indifferent. However, concerning the improvement of severe symptoms, it was found that, patients in the experimental group with mild osteoarthritis symptoms of the knee (Grade 1), increased from 10.0% (before the experiment) to 50.0%. These percentages can be compared to the control group, in which patients with mild osteoarthritis symptoms of the knee (Grade 1), increased from 6.9% to 27.6% after the trial.

Conclusion: The elastic band exercise program, used in conjunction with regular physiotherapy, tended to reduce the symptoms of severe osteoarthritis more than usual physiotherapy alone.