title: The effects of weight reduction on the rehabilitation of patients with knee osteoarthritis and obesity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of weight reduction on the rehabilitation of patients with knee osteoarthritis and obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 126 patients with bilateral knee osteoarthritis and obesity were classified into 3 groups by their stages of osteoarthritis. Each group was divided into subgroups a, b, and c. The subjects in subgroup a received weight reduction treatment, those in subgroup b received weight reduction and electrotherapy modalities, and those in subgroup c received electrotherapy modalities to relieve pain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pain reduction, weight reduction, ambulation speed, and changes of Lequesne's index were greater in patients in subgroups a and b than in subgroup c after treatment. Although the last pain scores in subgroup b were less than those in subgroup a, as measured by a visual analog scale (VAS), there was no significant difference between their functional status. Significant pain relief (VAS < 2) and an acceptable functional status (Lequesne's index < 7) were indicated when weight reduction was more than 15% and 12%, respectively, of the initial body weight of the individual.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Weight reduction was found to be a practical adjuvant treatment in the rehabilitation of patients with knee osteoarthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, No. 100, Shih-Chuan 1st Road, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan ROC.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss