title: Progressive resistance exercise in women with osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of a progressive resistance exercise (PRE) program on women with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eligible subjects included women aged 40 to 70 years with pain between 3 and 8 on a 10-cm pain scale. Among the 144 subjects screened, 60 met the eligibility criteria and were randomized to the experimental group (EG) or control group (CG). Subjects in the EG participated in a 12-week PRE program twice a week and CG remained on a waiting list for physical therapy. The PRE program consisted of strengthening exercises for knee extensors, knee flexors, hip abductors and hip adductors, all performed with 50% and 70% of the one-repetition maximum (1RM) using machines with free weights. Resistance was reevaluated every two weeks. Assessments of pain, muscle strength, walking distance, function and quality of life were performed at baseline, six weeks and 12 weeks by a blinded assessor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-nine female subjects were randomly assigned to the EG and 31 were randomly assigned to the CG. Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed significantly better results in the EG pain (from 7.0±1.3 to 4.3±3.1 in the EG and from 7.0±1.2 to 6.6±1.5 in the CG - p<0.001), function (p<0.001), some domains of quality of life (physical function: p=0.002; physical role limitation: p=0.002; and pain: p=0.044) and muscle strength (extensors: p<0.001; flexors: p=0.002; and abductors: p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PRE program was effective in reducing pain and improving function, some quality of life domains and strength in women with OA of the knee.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rheumatology Division, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata Trajano Borges
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Jorge
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rheumatology Division, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo Cardoso de
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rheumatology Division, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiari
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rheumatology Division, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Artur da Rocha Correa
authors.initials: Ada R
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Department of Human Movement Sciences, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Império
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lombardi Júnior
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rheumatology Division, São Paulo, SP, Brazil jnatour@unifesp.br.
authors.forename: Jamil
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Natour
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D055070:Resistance Training / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Osteoarthritis of the knee; function; pain; progressive resistance exercise; quality of life; women