title: Effects of non-surgical joint distraction in the treatment of severe knee osteoarthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical results of non surgical knee distraction in patients with severe knee osteoarthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  forty female patients with severe knee osteoarthritis were randomly divided in two groups. A standard physiotherapy treatment was applied to both groups and in one group it was accompanied with 20 min knee joint distraction. The patients were treated for 10 sessions. Clinical examination consisted of functional examination, completion of a quality of life questionnaire, pain scale, and assessment of joint mobility and joint edema.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The standard physiotherapy treatment accompanied by knee distraction resulted in significantly higher improvement in pain (P = 0.004), functional ability (P = 0.02), quality of life (P = 0.002) and knee flexion range of motion (p = 0.02) compared to the standard physiotherapy treatment alone post treatment and after 1 month follow up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adding knee distraction to standard physiotherapy treatment can result in further improvement in pain relief, increased functional ability and better quality of life in patients with severe knee osteoarthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Damavand Ave, Opposite to Bou Ali Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Khosro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khademi-Kalantari
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Damavand Ave, Opposite to Bou Ali Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: smahmoodiaghdam@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Somayeh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mahmoodi Aghdam
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akbarzadeh Baghban
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Damavand Ave, Opposite to Bou Ali Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rezayi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Damavand Ave, Opposite to Bou Ali Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rahimi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Damavand Ave, Opposite to Bou Ali Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Sedighesadat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naimee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000628:therapy*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011788:Quality of Life; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular
keywords: Distraction; Function; Knee; Osteoarthritis; Pain