title: Balneological outpatient treatment for patients with knee osteoarthritis; an effective non-drug therapy option in daily routine?
abstract: This study aims to compare the effects of balneological treatments applied at consecutive and intermittent sessions without interfering with their daily routine in patients with knee osteoarthritis. This is a randomized, controlled, single-blind clinical trial. Fifty patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis were included. The patients were divided into two groups. All patients were given a total of ten sessions of balneological treatment consisting of hydrotherapy and mud pack therapy. Group 1 received consecutive treatment for 2 weeks, while group 2 received intermittent treatment for 5 weeks. Local peloid packs at 45 °C were applied for 20 min, after a tap water (38 °C) bath. Evaluations were conducted before, after treatment, and at 12th week of post-treatment by Pain (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and Short Form-36 (SF-36). Both balneological treatment regimens of knee osteoarthritis had statistically significant clinical effects as well as effects on the quality of life. Patients' well-being continued at 3 months, except for joint stiffness (WOMAC), role-emotional (SF-36), and vitality (SF-36) in group 1 and for mental health (SF-36) in both groups. Both patient groups had improved compared to baseline. However, at 3 months after the treatment, the well-being of group 2 was unable to be maintained in terms of role-physical (SF-36) parameter, while the well-being of group 1 was unable to be maintained in terms of pain, WOMAC (pain, physical functions, total), and SF-36 (physical functioning, role-physical, pain, role-emotional, and mental health) variables, compared to data obtained immediately after treatment. Our study suggests that traditional and intermittent balneological therapies have similar efficacy in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ecology and Hydroclimatology, İzzet Baysal Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital, 14020, Bolu, Turkey. kagan_64@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Kağan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Özkuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ecology and Hydroclimatology, İstanbul Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul University, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gürdal
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ecology and Hydroclimatology, İstanbul Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul University, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karagülle
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ecology and Hydroclimatology, Büyükçekmece Public Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yasemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Barut
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ecology and Hydroclimatology, Yüksekİhtisas Training and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Rıza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eröksüz
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Ecology and Hydroclimatology, İstanbul Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul University, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Müfit Zeki
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Karagülle
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006875:Hydrotherapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009094:Mud Therapy; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000628:therapy*; D010045:Outpatients; D011788:Quality of Life; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Balneotherapy; Intermittent; Knee osteoarthritis; Peloidotherapy; Spa treatment