Uphill treadmill walking plus physical therapy versus physical therapy alone in the management of individuals with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized clinical trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to compare the effectiveness of uphill walking combined with physical therapy versus physical therapy alone on knee pain, excursion ranges, stride length, and walking speed in individuals with knee osteoarthritis.
Results Summary
The study found that adding uphill walking to physical therapy significantly improved stride length and walking speed post-treatment and maintained these improvements at follow-up, compared to physical therapy alone. It also showed persistent benefits in knee ranges, stride length, and walking speed.
Population
30 patients with knee osteoarthritis.
Effective Dosage
8-degree treadmill walking at 1.1 m/s for 30 minutes per session, 10 sessions total.
Duration
10 sessions (with a 20-day follow-up).
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
uphill walking and physical therapy | increase | stride length | individuals with knee osteoarthritis | - | Significant improvements | #1 |
uphill walking and physical therapy | increase | walking speed | individuals with knee osteoarthritis | - | Significant improvements | #2 |
uphill walking and physical therapy | increase | knee ranges | individuals with knee osteoarthritis | - | has persistent effects | #3 |
uphill walking and physical therapy | increase | stride length | individuals with knee osteoarthritis | - | has persistent effects | #4 |
uphill walking and physical therapy | increase | walking speed | individuals with knee osteoarthritis | - | has persistent effects | #5 |
combined uphill treadmill walking and physical therapy | increase | stride length | patients with knee osteoarthritis | - | provided superior improvements | #6 |
combined uphill treadmill walking and physical therapy | increase | walking speed | patients with knee osteoarthritis | - | provided superior improvements | #7 |
combined uphill treadmill walking and physical therapy | increase | active and passive excursion ranges | patients with knee osteoarthritis | - | provided superior improvements | #8 |
PURPOSE: This study aims to compare the effectiveness of uphill walking and physical therapy versus physical therapy alone on knee pain, excursion ranges, stride length, and walking speed in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: In this randomized clinical trial, 30 patients with knee osteoarthritis participated. Both control and intervention groups received 10-session physical therapy. Moreover, the intervention group received an 8-degree treadmill walking at a speed of 1.1 m/s for 30 min in each session. Outcome measures, including pain, excursion ranges, stride length, and walking speed, were measured at baseline, post-treatment, and a 20-day follow-up. RESULTS: Significant improvements in stride length and walking speed were observed just in the intervention group from baseline to post-treatment ( CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that the addition of uphill walking to physical therapy results in stride length and walking speed improvements and that it also has persistent effects on knee ranges, stride length, and walking speed as compared with physical therapy alone. This clinical trial was registered at irct.ir (study ID: IRCT20171115034920N1).Implications for RehabilitationStretching exercises are recommended to correct knee flexion contracture and uphill treadmill walking is a form of functional stretching.This study shows 10 sessions of combined uphill treadmill walking and physical therapy provided superior improvements in stride length and walking speed at 10-session or 20-day follow-up, and active and passive excursion ranges at 20-day follow-up compared with physical therapy alone.Physical therapist may consider uphill treadmill walking when designing a physical therapy for patients with knee osteoarthritis to promote the results of the rehabilitation programs.