A Study on The Effectiveness of Body Weight Supported Treadmill Training along with Conventional Physiotherapy for Osteoarthritis in Improving Knee Joint Function.

Background: Osteoarthritis is one of the most prevalent and chronic disabling joint disease of knee joint. It may due to aging, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, overuse, malalignment, and abnormal loading of the joint causes pain and difficulty in walking. Hence, there is a need to study Body Weight Supported Treadmill Training along with conventional physiotherapy for osteoarthritis to restore normal gait patterns by increasing the joint space.Method: This study was a quasi-experimental study of pre and post type carried out in Adhiparasakthi Medical sciences and Research Institute. Melmaruvathur. 60 subjects with knee osteoarthritis were chosen for the study of age above 45 years, accordingto inclusion criteria. They were equally divided into two groups. Group 1, 30 subjects were given with Body weight supported treadmill training with conventional physiotherapy. Group 2 , 30 subjects were given with conventional physiotherapyalone. Treatments were given for 6 sessions for 2 weeks .Both the groups were measured with pre and post-test for pain, range of motion, and walking speed using a Numerical pain rating scale, goniometer, and pedometer respectively.Result: At the end of the treatment program, there is a significant relief of pain, increased knee joint range of motion, and walking speed in patients treated with Body weight-supported treadmill training along with conventional physiotherapy.Conclusion: From this study, it was concluded that the Body weight supported treadmill training along with conventional physiotherapy reduces pain, and increases knee joint range of motion and walking speed among patients with knee osteoarthritis.