ABSTRACT

Introduction: Osteoarthritis is the most common degenerative joint disease of modern times and the leading cause of chronic disability in adulthood.

Aim: To determine the effectiveness of physiotherapy exercises and transcutaneous electrical stimulation, TENS in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Materials and methods: In a sample of 50 respondents suffering from knee osteoarthritis, physiotherapy exercises and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) were performed daily for 35 min in the period of 4 weeks. The difference between pre- and post-physiotherapy exercise was tested on the variables of knee mobility, pain sensation, morning stiffness, and gait speed using the Student's t-test and Benjamini-Hochberg method for the correction of the p-value.

Results: according to Cohen's interpretation, indicate the significant differences in all variables. The medium effect size is found in morning stiffness and range of motion of knee extension variables, and the large effect size is found in pain sensation and range of motion of knee flextion variables.

Conclusion: This research is conducted according to clinical guidelines, and it has shown the good results of physiotherapy treatment to treat knee osteoarthritis.

Key words: knee osteoarthritis, physiotherapy exercises, TENS