Therapeutic efficacy of Myofascial trigger point therapy in patients with bilateral knee osteoarthritis: A randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common causes of disability in the older. Myofascial pain and dysfunction is partly responsible for pain and disability in this condition. This study investigated the efficacy of myofascial trigger point therapy on knee OA. In randomized clinical trial, 60 patients with bilateral knee osteoarthritis were divided into two 30 persons groups. Thirty patients were received 16 sessions of usual physical therapy. In addition to physical therapy, intervention group were received myofascial trigger points. Assessed Variables included pain, joint stiffness, physical function, range of motion of the knee and physical performance. There were no significant differences in assessed variables between two groups before treatment, statistically. After treatment, the above variables compared with the pre-treatment results of same group and then with the posttreatment results of the other group. Except for physical performance which was not significantly differing in control group, both groups demonstrated improvement in all variables after treatment. However, comparing the two groups revealed that all variables in intervention group are better than control one except for joint range of motion. Physical therapy is an effective approach for treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. This effectiveness can be enhanced by adding the treatment of myofascial pain and dysfunction syndrome.