~ 285 ~ International Journal of Physical Education, Sports and Health 2023; 10(2): 285-289 P-ISSN: 2394-1685 E-ISSN: 2394-1693 Impact Factor (RJIF): 5.38 IJPESH 2023; 10(2): 285-289 © 2023 IJPESH www.kheljournal.com Received: 10-01-2023 Accepted: 14-02-2023 Jeena Veettil Department of Physiotherapy, Co-operative Institute of Health Sciences, Thalassery, Kerala, India Aparna Mohana Department of Physiotherapy, Co-operative Institute of Health Sciences, Thalassery, Kerala, India Praveena Devakkannu Department of Physiotherapy, Co-operative Institute of Health Sciences, Thalassery, Kerala, India Nizar Majeedkutty Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Selangor, Malaysia Corresponding Author: Jeena Veettil Department of Physiotherapy, Co-operative Institute of Health Sciences, Thalassery, Kerala, India Effects of neuromuscular exercises on pain and physical function in patients with medial knee osteoarthritis: An experimental study Jeena Veettil, Aparna Mohana, Praveena Devakkannu and Nizar Majeedkutty Abstract Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease occurring primarily in older persons and predominantly affecting medial tibiofemoral compartment leading to pain, loss of function and reduced quality of life. During walking, forces across the knee joint are not transmitted equally between the medial and lateral compartments. Increased mechanical load and damage to the medial side of the knee joint has been associated with increasing knee varus alignment, further loading the medial compartment which causes symptoms of medial knee osteoarthritis. This study was aimed to determine the effects of neuromuscular exercises for improving pain and physical function in patients with medial knee osteoarthritis. 30 subjects with medial knee osteoarthritis that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned into 2 groups; 15 in each group. Control group received conventional treatment and experimental group received neuromuscular exercises along with conventional treatment. The treatment duration was 45 minutes in each session for 6 days in a week and the trial stretching 8 weeks. Statistical analysis of inter group significance by independent sample t-test for WOMAC [t=2.356>table value, t= 2.048], isometric knee extension [t=7.941>table value, t=2.048] and Mann-Whitney test for VAS [p=0.007] reveals that experimental group showed significant difference between pre-test and post test values of WOMAC, isometric knee extension and VAS than the control group. Both groups show significant difference in their pre and post–test values. Participants with medial knee osteoarthritis in the experimental group that received neuromuscular exercise along with conventional treatment show greater improvement in pain and physical function. The findings of this study reveal a more effective exercise treatment option than currently exists for this important subgroup of people with knee osteoarthritis. Keywords: Neuromuscular exercise, osteoarthritis of knee, pain, isometric knee strength Introduction Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease occurring primarily in older person, characterized by erosion of the articular cartilage, hypertrophy of the bone at the margins that is osteophytes, subchondral sclerosis and a range of biochemical and morphological alteration of the synovial membrane and joint capsule [1] . Knee osteoarthritis predominantly affecting the medial tibiofemoral compartment, is a common chronic condition leading to pain, loss of function and reduced quality of life [2] . The prevalence of OA increases with age. Men are affected more commonly than women before 50 years of age whereas after 50 years of age the prevalence in women is 2-3 times greater than men [3] . OA is the second most common rheumatologic problem and the reported prevalence of knee OA in elderly in other studies is done in India ranged between 32% and 64% [4] . The associated factors were found to be female gender, obesity, age and sedentary work [5] . OA can be diagnosed by radiographic changes and/or by typical clinical symptoms. Radiographic findings which identify OA include osteophyte formation along the joint margins, joint space narrowing, subchondral sclerosis and cyst formation. Presence of osteophytes is the most specific radiographic marker of OA, although osteophytes are not present in early disease [6] . The knee joint is a complex structure with three joint compartments, including the medial and lateral tibio-femoral compartments and patella-femoral joint. During walking, forces across the knee joint are not transmitted equally between the medial and lateral compartments.