engleski

The significance of the OA school at the time of the COVID-19 pandemia

Objective: To determine the advantages of conducting OA school in parallel with classical physical therapy in persons with chronic OA of the knee. Methods: We conducted a randomized study of patients attending osteoarthritis school (OA school) and those who underwent classical physical therapy in a Clinical Hospital Dubrava. Patients with OA of the knee were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to the application of OA school or to undergo classical physical therapy. One year after the onset of the pandemic COVID-19, patients in both groups were interviewed by telephone to compare the morbidity and function of were treated with physical therapy as part of the OA school and classical physical therapy. The main test comparing the above results was WOMAC. The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) used to evaluate function and mobility. Results: We enrolled 100 patients with a mean age of 71 y ; 50 patients were assigned to each group. Baseline characteristics, including severity of pain and level of disability, were similar in the two groups. The mean (±SD) baseline WOMAC scores were 33 in the OA school group and 27 in the classical physical therapy group. At 1 y, the mean scores were 58 and 60, this is how we established better long- term results of the osteoarthritis school. After a year without physical therapy (because of COVID-19) the results of other tests were also beneficial to the OA school. Conclusion: OA school is more effective than regular physical therapy at long-term effectiveness for relieving pain and improving physical function in patients with chronic OA of the knee.

knee ; osteoarthritis ; physical therapy ; pandemia ; COVID-19

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