Educational program promoting regular physical exercise improves functional capacity and daily living physical activity in subjects with knee osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Physical exercise and educational programs promote several benefits for patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, little is known about the effects of educational programs promoting the regular practice of physical exercise. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of an interdisciplinary educational program, emphasizing the recommendation for regular practice of physical exercise, on functional capacity and daily living physical activity in individuals with knee OA. METHODS: Two hundred and thirty-nine individuals (50 men) with an established diagnosis of knee OA (degree I to IV in the Kelgreen and Lawrence scale) were randomly allocated into a multidisciplinary educational program (EDU; n = 112) or control group (CON; n = 127). Functional capacity (sit and reach, 6-min walking test (6MWT), timed up and down stairs test, timed up and go test (TUGT), and five times sit-to-stand test (FTSST)) and daily living physical activity (IPAQ, short version) were measured before, during (6 months) and after 12 months of follow-up. RESULTS: Body mass index reduced significantly (P < 0.05) after 6 months, and remained reduced after 12-month of follow-up in EDU, but not in CON. EDU group improved (P < 0.05) timed up and down stairs (19%), TUGT (32.5%) and FTSST (30%) performance after 6 months of follow-up, which remained improved after 12 months of follow-up. Functional capacity did not change in CON, excepted for the timed up and down stairs performance that increased after 6 months (12%, P < 0.05), but returned to levels similar to baseline after 12 months of follow-up. There was also an increase (P < 0.05) in the prevalence of active and very active individuals, as well as a reduction (P < 0.05) in the prevalence of sedentary individuals in EDU group during follow-up. There were no significant changes on sit and reach and 6MWT performance during follow-up in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that an educational program emphasizing the recommendation for regular practice of physical exercise may be an effective tool for improving functional capacity and daily physical activity in individuals with knee OA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT 02335034 , December 22, 2014.

INTENSITY, DURATION AND TYPE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY REQUIRED TO IMPROVE FUNCTION IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of physical activity intensity, type and duration in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) . METHODS: A retrospective study of 195 KOA patients who were followed for two years after receiving educational material about KOA with or without attending classes. The patients were evaluated at baseline and 24 months. At the evaluations, the patients answered questionnaires pertaining to pain and function (WOMAC, Lequesne, VAS and SF-36); reported the intensity, duration and type of exercise performed per week; and performed the Timed Up & Go (TUG) and Five Times Sit-to-Stand (FTSST) tests . RESULTS: Increased age affected improvements in the TUG results (p=0.017). The type, intensity and duration of physical activity did not correlate with pain, function or quality of life improvements (p>0.05), but the TUG results were on average 4 seconds faster among the patients who practiced intense physical activity and/or exercised for more than 180 minutes per week and/or performed isolated weight training or swam compared with those who remained sedentary after 2 years (p=0.01; p<0.001; p=0.01; p=0.04, respectively) . CONCLUSIONS: Patients with KOA should aim for intense physical activity and/or more than 180 minutes of exercise per week and/or weight training (bodybuilding) for relevant pain reduction and functional improvement. Level of Evidence II, Retrospective Study.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o efeito da intensidade, tipo e tempo da atividade física semanal em pacientes com osteoartrite do joelho (OAJ) . MÉTODOS: Cento e noventa e cinco pacientes portadores de OAJ foram acompanhados por dois anos após receberam material educacional sobre OAJ, com ou sem aulas. Os pacientes responderam aos questionários de dor, função, qualidade de vida (WOMAC, Lequesne, EVA e SF-36), intensidade, frequência e tipo de atividade física semanal realizada, além de realizaram os testes de senta e levanta (TSL) e "Timed-Up-and-Go" (TUG) no momento da inclusão e após 24 meses. RESULTADOS: O aumento da idade dos pacientes acarretou menor chance de melhora no TUG (p=0,017). O tipo de atividade física, intensidade e frequência não mostraram correlação com melhoras algo-funcionais e de qualidade de vida (p>0,05), porém os resultados do TUG foram em média 4 seg mais rápidos em pacientes que praticavam atividade física intensa e/ou acima de 180 min por semana e/ou musculação isolada, ou ainda, musculação ou natação, em relação aos pacientes sedentários (p=0,01; p<0,001; p=0,01; p=0,04, respectivamente) após dois anos. Pacientes praticantes de musculação tinham menos dor que os sedentários após o programa (p=0,009) . CONCLUSÃO: Pacientes com OAJ são aconselhados a objetivar atividade física intensa e/ou acima de 180 min por semana e/ou musculação para atingir melhora algo-funcional relevante. Nível de Evidência II, Estudo Retrospectivo.

Objective functional results in patients with knee osteoarthritis submitted to a 2-day educational programme: a prospective randomised clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Although education is recommended for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), its effectiveness in osteoarthritis (OA) remains low according to subjective questionnaires. The timed-up-and-go (TUG) and five-times-sit-to-stand tests (FTSST) reflect muscle strength and balance and could be used as objective measures of effectiveness. AIM: To measure the effect of an educational programme in patients with KOA by TUG and FTSST and correlate these results to those of subjective questionnaires. METHODS: Prospective randomised controlled trial of patients with KOA. Participants (n=198) were allocated into four groups. Three groups participated in 2 days of lectures with 1 (group 1), 2 (group 2) and 3-month (group 3) intervals between classes. Group 4 had no classes. Participants were asked to exercise at least three times a week. Half of the patients from all groups received bimonthly telephone calls reinforcing diet and exercise instructions. All four groups received the printed and video material presented in the classes. At baseline and at 1 year after initial assessment, patients performed the FTSST and TUG and answered WOMAC, Lequesne, SF-36 and Visual Analogue Scale questionnaires. RESULTS: The TUG results did not change at 1 year follow-up, whereas FTSST improved (average difference of 4.66, p<0.001) irrespective of the implementation of classes or telephone calls. Both baseline and 1 year TUG and FTSST results correlated weakly (r<0.3) to the subjective functional, pain and quality of life results (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This educational programme improved function as determined by lower limb muscle strength (FTSST) irrespective of the patients' subjective non-improvement. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Clinical trials registration number: NCT01572051. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 1A.

INTENSITY, DURATION AND TYPE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY REQUIRED TO IMPROVE FUNCTION IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS / INTENSIDADE, DURAÇÃO E TIPO DE ATIVIDADE FÍSICA PARA MELHORA DA FUNÇÃO NA GONARTRITE

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the effects of physical activity intensity, type and duration in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) . Methods: A retrospective study of 195 KOA patients who were followed for two years after receiving educational material about KOA with or without attending classes. The patients were evaluated at baseline and 24 months. At the evaluations, the patients answered questionnaires pertaining to pain and function (WOMAC, Lequesne, VAS and SF-36); reported the intensity, duration and type of exercise performed per week; and performed the Timed Up & Go (TUG) and Five Times Sit-to-Stand (FTSST) tests . Results: Increased age affected improvements in the TUG results (p=0.017). The type, intensity and duration of physical activity did not correlate with pain, function or quality of life improvements (p>0.05), but the TUG results were on average 4 seconds faster among the patients who practiced intense physical activity and/or exercised for more than 180 minutes per week and/or performed isolated weight training or swam compared with those who remained sedentary after 2 years (p=0.01; p<0.001; p=0.01; p=0.04, respectively) . Conclusions: Patients with KOA should aim for intense physical activity and/or more than 180 minutes of exercise per week and/or weight training (bodybuilding) for relevant pain reduction and functional improvement. Level of Evidence II, Retrospective Study.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar o efeito da intensidade, tipo e tempo da atividade física semanal em pacientes com osteoartrite do joelho (OAJ) . Métodos: Cento e noventa e cinco pacientes portadores de OAJ foram acompanhados por dois anos após receberam material educacional sobre OAJ, com ou sem aulas. Os pacientes responderam aos questionários de dor, função, qualidade de vida (WOMAC, Lequesne, EVA e SF-36), intensidade, frequência e tipo de atividade física semanal realizada, além de realizaram os testes de senta e levanta (TSL) e "Timed-Up-and-Go" (TUG) no momento da inclusão e após 24 meses. Resultados: O aumento da idade dos pacientes acarretou menor chance de melhora no TUG (p=0,017). O tipo de atividade física, intensidade e frequência não mostraram correlação com melhoras algo-funcionais e de qualidade de vida (p>0,05), porém os resultados do TUG foram em média 4 seg mais rápidos em pacientes que praticavam atividade física intensa e/ou acima de 180 min por semana e/ou musculação isolada, ou ainda, musculação ou natação, em relação aos pacientes sedentários (p=0,01; p<0,001; p=0,01; p=0,04, respectivamente) após dois anos. Pacientes praticantes de musculação tinham menos dor que os sedentários após o programa (p=0,009) . Conclusão: Pacientes com OAJ são aconselhados a objetivar atividade física intensa e/ou acima de 180 min por semana e/ou musculação para atingir melhora algo-funcional relevante. Nível de Evidência II, Estudo Retrospectivo.