The Clinical Effect of Low-load Blood Flow Restriction Training Combined with Intra-articular Injection for Elderly Knee Osteoarthritis

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of low-load blood flow restriction training combined with intra-articular injection for elderly knee osteoarthritis. Methods A total of 126 elderly patients with knee osteoarthritis admitted to the Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University in 2023 were selected as the study subjects by convenient sampling method, they divided into two groups according to the random number table, 63 cases for each group. The control group received simple intra-articular injection, and the observation group was additionally trained with low-load blood flow restriction. Western Ontario and the University of Manchester Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), efficacy, generic quality of life inventory 74 (GQOLI-74) score, knee extension moment, knee adduction moment, serum matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) -1, and MMP-3 levels were assessed before and after treatment. Results After treatment, the WOMAC dimensions and total score, MMP-1 and MMP-3 levels in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05), and the clinical total effective rate, GQOLI-74 score dimensions and total score, knee extension moment and knee adduction moment in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05) . Conclusion Low-load blood flow restriction training combined with intra-articular injection for elderly knee osteoarthritis has good clinical efficacy, which can significantly relieve pain, improve joint function and quality of life of patients, and its treatment mechanism may be related to lower levels of MMP-1 and MMP-3.