Challenges To Implementing Physical Activity In Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a chronic and irreversible degenerative joint disease that commonly causes pain and functional disability, which results in decreased mobility and quality of life. To minimize pain and disability, regular physical activity (PA) is strongly recommended. Despite the recommendation, patients often do not adhere to regular PA. Thus, it is necessary to understand the challenges of implementing physical activity by patients. Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic and protective measures have become a barrier for people with OAJ to practice PA regularly and to avoid sedentary behavior, which contributes to increased load and pain in the knees. Understanding these challenges would help to develop interventions to minimize that behavior and increase patient adherence. To explore the challenges of physical therapists and patients with KOA implementing regular physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method(s) Cross-sectional study with qualitative analysis. Thirty KOA patients were recruited for a semi-structured online interview. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and thematic analyzed. Result(s) Three themes arose 1) the impact of the pandemic on KOA care (social isolation, mental health, lack of care routine);2) Facilitators of physical activity (lower pain, socialization, confrontation, financial resource, health);3) challenges of physical activity (available infrastructure, fear, lack of time and motivation, digital literacy, age, pain). Conclusion(s) Patients with KOA were impacted by the pandemic, experiencing facilitators and challenges of physical activity. Care may be improved by increasing the focus on the facilitators of physical activity and also, to help patients facing their challenges of physical activity.Copyright © 2023