Nondrug noninvasive treatment in the management of patellofemoral osteoarthritis.

Background: Patellofemoral osteoarthritis is a chronic joint disease affecting one-third of elderly people. The disease impacts upon activities of daily living (e.g. walking, stair-climbing, and housekeeping), ultimately leading to a loss of functional independence and quality of life. Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to assess the results of nondrug noninvasive treatment in the management of patellofemoral osteoarthritis. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in the department of Orthopaedics in M. M. Medical College, Mullana, Ambala, Haryana, India from June 2005 to June 2010. Two hundred fifty-one out patients of patellofemoral arthritis with a mean age of 45 years were studied. They were managed with noninvasive treatment and were followed for 24 months. Results: At 30 to 40 years of age it was good to excellent, respectively. More than 40 years it was good. The patients global evaluation of condition were found very good up to the age of 30 years at 2 years of follow up, good to very good between 30 to 40 years, respectively, and over the age of 40 years it was good. Conclusion: Nondrug noninvasive interventions can reduce pain and improve function in patellofemoral osteoarthritis.