Biomedicine

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: The aim of the study is to compare the efficacy of LASER, and conventional Exercise versus Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation and conventional Exercise in the treatment of subjects with osteoarthritis of the knee joint in terms of pain relief and improving the functional activities.Osteoarthritis is the most common form of Arthritis. It is a disease caused by the breakdown of cartilage in the joints. The layers of the cartilage become damaged, and with time they lose the function of smoothing the contact between the bone surface and the joints. The pain is a result of the attrition of one bone against the other in the absence or decreased cartilage in the joints. The knee joint supports nearly the whole weight of our body. This study helps to increase the Range of motion, Muscle strength and Recovery of Muscle Mass. Materials and Methods: The study was done at Outpatient Physiotherapy Department ACS Medical College and Hospital. This experimental study design had a sample size of 30, between the age group of 40 to 60 years. The patients were allocated to Group A and Group B by simple random sampling, duration of study 6 Session in a week, for 4 weeks. The material used a LASER, NMES, Bicycle Erygometer, Treatment couch and Assessment sheet and outcome measures Visual analogue scale [VAS] and Western Ontario and Mc Master Osteoarthritis Index [WOMAC] Results: A Total number of 30 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee joint were taken between 40- 60 years of age, both males, and females.Group A -was treated with LASER and conventional exercise, Group B – received NMES with Conventional Exercise for 4 weeks.VAS and WOMAC scale was recorded before and after treatment session as pre and post-test score after 4 weeks of treatment. Group -B proved better improvement than Group A. Hence Null hypothesis is rejected. Conclusion: The present study concluded that 4-weeks treatment program using LASER and NMES in subjects with osteoarthritis of the knee joint showed that both the interventions were effective in reducing pain intensity and improves the functional activities.