Effect of a Class-based Exercise Program for Community-dwelling Elderly People with Knee Pain

• Published in: Rigakuryoho Kagaku Vol. 31; no. 3; pp. 363 - 369
• Main Authors: SATO, Shinichiro, MATSUSHITA, Munehiro, TAKAHASHI, Masaki, AMANO, Mutsue, ISHIKAWA, Kazuhiro, ARAO, Takashi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: The Society of Physical Therapy Science 2016
• Subjects: class-based exercise program; community-dwelling elderly; knee pain
• ISSN: 1341-1667; 2434-2807
• DOI: 10.1589/rika.31.363

[Purpose] To evaluate the effect of an exercise intervention program for the community-dwelling elderly with knee pain. [Subjects] Twenty-eight elderly persons voluntarily participated in the intervention program. The control group comprised 70 subjects matched on the basis of sex, age, and degree of knee pain. [Methods] The subjects participated in the class-based program once a week for 4 weeks. The exercise program consisted of 4 lower leg exercises which were performed daily at home, as well as in the class. The effect of the intervention was assessed using the WOMAC index and repeated measures analysis of variance with time and group as factors. [Results] The within-group comparison showed a significant improvement only in the intervention group, but no significant interaction effects were observed. [Conclusion] The results suggest this program improved the knee pain of the elderly, but compared to the control group, the effect was not clear.