Effect of Tibial Torsion and Pronation-specific Strengthening Exercises on Pain and Functional Limitations among Acute Osteoarthritis Knee Patients

A BSTRACT Introduction: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) has a 16% global prevalence and an incidence of approximately 203 cases per 10,000 people, indicating a global health burden. Only a few studies have addressed the biomechanical malalignments, the reasons for deviations, and gait abnormalities that developed due to OA progression. The study aimed to determine the effect of tibial torsion and pronation-specific strengthening exercises on pain and functional limitations among acute OA knee patients. Subjects and Methods: We selected 30 subjects, aged 35–50 years for an experimental study with pre- and posttest study design, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Fifteen patients were recruited for each group. Group A trained with torsion and pronation-specific exercises and conventional exercises for 8 weeks, and Group B trained with therapeutic conventional exercises alone. Results: There is a significant difference in the Visual Analog Scale score pretest values (5.60 ± 1.12) and post values (3.33 ± 1.04) between the groups with P < 0.05 by the torsion and pronation-specific exercises, whereas there is no significant difference between the groups (Groups A and B) in functional limitations results with a P = 1. Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index score pretest values (1.60 ± 0.50) and posttest values (1.27 ± 0.45). Conclusion: The study concluded that tibial torsion and pronation-specific strengthening exercises are effective treatment approaches for reducing pain and thereby functional limitation can be prevented in the earlier phase among acute OA patients compared to therapeutic conventional exercises.