title: Effect of balneotherapy on temporospatial gait characteristics of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.
abstract: Effects of balneotherapy on gait properties of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee were investigated prospectively. A total of 30 patients with knee osteoarthritis received balneotherapy consisting of two daily thermomineral water baths for 2 weeks. Patients were evaluated using gait analysis and clinical scores, both within 2 weeks, before and after spa treatment. Patients were walking faster in their control analyses (0.81 +/- 0.21 to 0.89 +/- 0.19 m/s; P = 0.017), with a shorter mean stance time (63.0 +/- 3.3 to 61.8 +/- 2.5% stride; P = 0.007), an increased cadence (96 +/- 13.1 to 100 +/- 11.9 steps/min; P = 0.094) and stride length (996 +/- 174 to 1,058 +/- 142 mm; P = 0.017). Balneotherapy also resulted in a significant decrease in Lequesne knee osteoarthritis index (12.1 +/- 3.7 to 10.0 +/- 3.3 points; P = 0.003), VAS for pain (58 +/- 25 to 33 +/- 15; P = 0.0001), VAS for patients' (56 +/- 24 to 29 +/- 19; P < 0.001) and investigator's global assessment (55 +/- 20 to 26 +/- 15; P < 0.0001) and WOMAC score (2.1 +/- 0.7 to 1.6 +/- 0.8; P = 0.0004). Balneotherapy has positive effects on gait properties and clinical health quality parameters of patients with knee osteoarthritis in short-term evaluations.
authors: Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical School, Millet Cad. 118, Fatih, 34093, Istanbul, Turkey. kilicoglu@istanbul.edu.tr
authors: Onder
authors: O
authors: Kiliçoğlu
authors: Arif
authors: A
authors: Dönmez
authors: Zeki
authors: Z
authors: Karagülle
authors: Nergis
authors: N
authors: Erdoğan
authors: Ekin
authors: E
authors: Akalan
authors: Yener
authors: Y
authors: Temelli
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001452:Balneology / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome