Effect Of Pain Coping Strategies V/S Kinesthesia, Balance And Agility Exercises In Chronic Knee Oa: A Clinical Trial

Aim: This study is designed to determine better intervention strategies between pain coping strategies and kinesthesia, balance and agility exercises for chronic knee OA. Study design: Experimental study, Randomized Clinical Trial. Method: 40 participants both male and female with physician diagnosed chronic knee OA were assigned into two groups. The objective of the study was explained, and the subjects were screened based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Group A received kinesthesia, balance and agility exercises which include- Wedding march, Backward wedding march, Side stepping, tandem walk, toe walking, heel walking and then exercises progress into leaning forward, backward and sideways, rocker bottom balance board, carioca cross over maneuver and modified grapevine. Group B received Pain coping strategies involving 10 supervised sessions. Both the groups received treatment protocol of 6 weeks with sessions 3 times / week. WOMAC scores were taken at baseline as well as after 6 week of treatment. Results: Both the groups showed clinically and statistically significant improvement in WOMAC scores at the end of 6-weeks of treatment session. i.e., 47.043±11.753 to 5.815±11.079 in group A and 44.579±8.045 to 27.849±5.216 in group B. Conclusion: A significant improvement were observed in both the groups; however the study has demonstrated that KBA exercises presented more beneficial effects in reduction of pain and improvement of functional status whereas pain coping strategies had beneficiary effects in cognitive and behavioral reactions to pain as they affect pain, functional capacity and psychological functioning.