Effectiveness of a Novel Aquatic Therapy Program on Functional Mobility in Older Adults with Osteoarthritis

Background: Osteoarthritis impairs functional mobility in older adults.Innovative rehabilitation is essential for OA older adults.Aquatic therapy, leveraging buoyancy and resistance, offers a promising low-impact intervention for joint health.Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an aquatic therapy program on functional mobility.The goal was to quantify improvements in gait, balance, and pain reduction among older adults.Methods: A prospective study was conducted at the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, from June 2023 to December 2024.A total of 142 osteoarthritis patients underwent a structured aquatic therapy program.Pre-and post-intervention assessments-including the Timed Up and Go test, balance evaluations, and pain scales-were performed using standardized, validated protocols to quantify functional improvements.Results: Postintervention analysis demonstrated significant improvements.Mean Timed Up and Go time decreased from 15.2 3.4 seconds to 11.4 2.8 seconds (25% reduction, p < 0.001).Balance scores increased from 65.0 8.0 to 84.5 6.5 (30% improvement, p < 0.001).Patient-reported pain decreased from 6.5 1.2 to 3.9 1.1 (40% reduction, p < 0.001).Gait speed improved by 20%, with a mean increase from 0.9 0.2 m/s to 1.08 0.15 m/s (p < 0.01).Effect size calculations confirmed moderate to high clinical significance.Subgroup analyses indicated consistent benefits across gender and age, reinforcing the program's overall efficacy remarkably.Conclusion: Findings demonstrate that aquatic therapy significantly enhances functional mobility, balance, and pain relief in older osteoarthritis patients.Integration of this intervention is strongly recommended for standard rehabilitation protocols, proving clinically effective.