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The effect of dynamic versus isometric resistance training on pain and functioning among adults with osteoarthritis of the knee,☆☆,,★★,

https://doi.org/10.1053/apmr.2002.33988Get rights and content

Abstract

Topp R, Woolley S, Hornyak J III, Khuder S, Kahaleh B. The effect of dynamic versus isometric resistance training on pain and functioning among adults with osteoarthritis of the knee. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2002;83:1187-95. Objective: To compare 16 weeks of isometric versus dynamic resistance training versus a control on knee pain and functioning among patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Design: Randomized clinical trial. Setting: Outpatient setting. Participants: A total of 102 volunteer subjects with OA of the knee randomized to isometric (n=32) and dynamic (n=35) resistance training groups or a control (n=35). Interventions: Strength exercises for the legs, 3 times weekly for 16 weeks. Dynamic group: exercises across a functional range of motion; isometric: exercises at discrete joint angles. Main Outcome Measures: The time to descend and ascend a flight of 27 stairs and to get down and up off of the floor. Knee pain was assessed immediately after each functional task. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index was used to assess perceived pain, stiffness, and functional ability. Results: In the isometric group, time to perform all 4 functional tasks decreased (P<.05) by 16% to 23%. In the dynamic group, time to descend and ascend stairs decreased by 13% to 17%. Both groups decreased knee pain while performing the functional tasks by 28% to 58%. Other measures of pain and functioning were significantly and favorably affected in the training groups. The improvements in the 2 training groups as a result of their respective therapies were not significantly different. The control group did not change over the duration of the study. Conclusion: Dynamic or isometric resistance training improves functional ability and reduces knee joint pain of patients with knee OA. © 2002 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Section snippets

Sample

One hundred two community-dwelling women (n=74, 72.5%) and men (n=28, 27.5%) previously diagnosed with knee OA volunteered and participated in the present study. Subjects were recruited from physician offices, local senior centers, and local arthritis support groups. Subjects were included if, during an initial telephone interview, they reported a moderate degree of knee pain because of OA as evidenced by a score of 5 or greater on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis

Results

Analyses of the data were conducted in 2 steps. The first step was to examine the sample at baseline for group differences in potentially confounding demographic or background variables. In this first step we also determined differences within or between the treatment groups in medication dose effect over the duration of the study. Table 1 presents comparisons between the continuous and discrete demographic variables collected from the sample at baseline.

. Demographic characteristics of the sample

Discussion

These findings answered the study's 2 research questions. Both dynamic and isometric resistance training reduced perceived knee joint pain and had no effect on perceived joint stiffness. Only the dynamic training reduced perceived functional limitations, and the control group did not change their measures on any of the outcome variables over the duration of the study.

The findings are consistent with previous investigators who have reported that exercise can reduce pain and increase the

Conclusion

The results of the present study support the efficacy of prescribing various resistance-training programs with Thera-Band elastic bands to patients with OA of the knee as a method to enhance their functional ability and to reduce their knee joint pain.

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    Supported by the National Institute for Nursing Research (grant no. R01 NR04515) and the Hygenic Corporation.

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    No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the author(s) or upon any organization with which the author(s) is/are associated.

    Reprint requests to Robert Topp, RN, PhD, Schl of Nursing, Medical College of Georgia, 997 St Sebastian Way, Augusta, GA 30912, e-mail: [email protected].

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