Balneological outpatient treatment for patients with knee osteoarthritis; an effective non-drug therapy option in daily routine?

• Published in: International journal of biometeorology 2017-04, Vol.61 (4), p.719-728
• Main Authors: Özkuk, Kağan, Gürdal, Hatice, Karagülle, Mine, Barut, Yasemin, Eröksüz, Rıza, Karagülle, Müfit Zeki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Animal Physiology; Arthritis; Biological and Medical Physics; Biometeorology; Biophysics; Day spas; Drinking water; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Environmental Health; Female; Humans; Hydrotherapy; Male; Meteorology; Middle Aged; Mud Therapy; Original Paper; Osteoarthritis; Osteoarthritis, Knee - therapy; Outpatients; Pain; Physical therapy; Plant Physiology; Quality of Life; Single-Blind Method; Treatment Outcome; Well being
• ISSN: 0020-7128; 1432-1254
• DOI: 10.1007/s00484-016-1250-8

This study aims to compare the effects of balneological treatments applied at consecutive and intermittent sessions without interfering with their daily routine in patients with knee osteoarthritis. This is a randomized, controlled, single-blind clinical trial. Fifty patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis were included. The patients were divided into two groups. All patients were given a total of ten sessions of balneological treatment consisting of hydrotherapy and mud pack therapy. Group 1 received consecutive treatment for 2 weeks, while group 2 received intermittent treatment for 5 weeks. Local peloid packs at 45 °C were applied for 20 min, after a tap water (38 °C) bath. Evaluations were conducted before, after treatment, and at 12th week of post-treatment by Pain (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and Short Form-36 (SF-36). Both balneological treatment regimens of knee osteoarthritis had statistically significant clinical effects as well as effects on the quality of life. Patients’ well-being continued at 3 months, except for joint stiffness (WOMAC), role-emotional (SF-36), and vitality (SF-36) in group 1 and for mental health (SF-36) in both groups. Both patient groups had improved compared to baseline. However, at 3 months after the treatment, the well-being of group 2 was unable to be maintained in terms of role-physical (SF-36) parameter, while the well-being of group 1 was unable to be maintained in terms of pain, WOMAC (pain, physical functions, total), and SF-36 (physical functioning, role-physical, pain, role-emotional, and mental health) variables, compared to data obtained immediately after treatment. Our study suggests that traditional and intermittent balneological therapies have similar efficacy in patients with knee osteoarthritis.