Vilma Gaučytė, Svetlana Lenickienė
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of backward walking in patients with knee osteoarthritis. This research was organised involving 30 (aged 61,1±10,75 years) outpatients with diagnosed II° – IV° degree of knee osteoarthritis. Patients were randomly selected and divided into two groups: experimental and control. Participants performed a program of physical therapy lasting 10 days. An additional 10 min forward walking on monitorized tredmill was added to conrol group, while experimental group had additional 10 min backward walking on the same device. The patients‘ functional status was tested before and after application of physical therapy programs. It was measured: pain intensity sentation, isometric strength of hip flexors and extensors, knee flexors and extensors, ankle flexors and extensors, functional status of lower extremities. Data analysis was performed using statistical analysis SPSS 20.0 for Windows and Excel 2010 programs. Data were analysed using Student’s t test. Statistical signifiance was defied as p<0,05. Physical therapy program supplemented by backward ant forward walking models decrease siginificantly pain sensation in the knee joint during flexion. It also increase significantly isometric muscle force of hip flexor, hip extensor, knee flexor, knee extensor, ankle flexor and ankle. The backward walking reduce significantly pain sensation in the knee joint. Functional status of lower extremities increased in both groups.
Keyword(s): knee osteoarthritis; knee pain; backward walking; gait.
DOI: 10.5200/sm-hs.2016.044
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