Riassunto dello studio

Sixty-six patients over the age of 50 years with knee osteoarthritis were randomized to either hip mobilization with hip strengthening and knee exercises (group A; n=22), hip strengthening and knee exercises (group B; n=22) and knee exercises alone (group C; n=22). Outcomes of interest were Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome scores (KOOS) for pain, symptoms, activities of daily living, sports and recreation, and quality of life. Additionally, the four square step test (FSST), pain on a Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and adverse events were assessed after 4 weeks. Hip mobilization with hip strengthening and knee exercises (group A) was significantly better with regard to KOOS pain, symptoms, activities of daily living, sports, quality of life, FSST, and VAS pain after 4 weeks when compared to hip strengthening and knee exercises alone (group B). Similarly, group A showed significantly better outcomes after 4 weeks when compared to Group C. No between-group comparisons were performed between groups B and C.