title: The effects of aquatic and traditional exercise programs on persons with knee osteoarthritis.
abstract: The purpose of the study was to detect if increases in functional levels for patients with osteoarthritis show differences between an aquatic exercise program and a land-based exercise program. Forty-six subjects between the ages of 45 and 70 years participated in 1 of 2 exercise groups. Pre- and posttest measurements included knee range of motion (ROM), thigh girth, subjective pain scale, and time for a 1-mile walk. Both exercise groups showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in all measurements between pre- and posttests. There were no significant differences between the aquatic exercise group and the land-based exercise group pertaining to knee ROM, thigh girth, and time for a 1-mile walk. Subjective pain levels were significantly less in the aquatic group when compared with the land-based group. This study concludes that both aquatic and land-based exercise programs are beneficial to patients with osteoarthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76798, USA.
authors.forename: F B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milam
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Manske
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deere
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011897:Random Allocation; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D013848:Thigh / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology