title: Impact of exercise on the functional capacity and pain of patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Muscle weakness, especially of the quadriceps muscle, is one of the major musculoskeletal effects of knee osteoarthritis. Exercises are considered one of the main interventions in the conservative treatment of those patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness of quadriceps strengthening exercises on functional capacity and symptoms related of knee osteoarthritis by use of the Timed Up and Go test (TUG), the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and the Lequesne Index.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred patients were randomized into two groups: 1) Exercise Group (n = 50), which included stationary bicycle, hamstrings stretching, and quadriceps strengthening; 2) Instruction Group (n = 50), which received a manual with information about knee osteoarthritis and instructions on how to deal with knee symptoms in daily activities. The manual did not include exercise instructions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Exercise Group showed statistically significant improvement regarding the TUG test, the WOMAC aspects of pain, function, and stiffness, and the Lequesne Index, as compared with the Instruction Group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Quadriceps strengthening exercises for eight weeks are effective to improve pain, function, and stiffness in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Departamento de Medicina Interna e Terapêutica. Rua Pedro de Toledo 598 – Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. aline.mizusaki@globo.com
authors.forename: Aline Mizusaki Imoto de
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Maria Stella
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Peccin
authors.forename: Kelson Nonato Gomes da
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Lucas Emmanuel Pedro de Paiva
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Virgínia Fernandes Moça
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Trevisani
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D052097:Quadriceps Muscle