MECHANICAL TRACTION APPLIED BEFORE VERSUS AFTER THERAPEUTIC EXERCISES IN PRIMARY KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

OA is widespread condition and a major contributor to disability in the United States and globally . In Egypt, the one-year prevalence of knee OA ranges from 6.6% to 9.25% . OA is associated with functional impairments and diminished quality of life . OA ensues a substantial social and economic burden, including healthcare expenses, lifestyle modifications, and reduced work productivity . Therapeutic exercise is widely recognized as an effective intervention for knee OA. It may slow cartilage degeneration, attenuate inflammation, and reduce the loss of subchondral bone. Growing evidence demonstrates that exercise improves pain, stiffness, joint function and muscle strength in patients with knee OA . Additionally, strong evidence suggests that exercise effectively improve knee proprioception and decrease knee joint repositioning error . Evidence suggests that addition of therapeutic exercise to other noninvasive methods that routinely are used for knee OA have a boosting effect in relieving pain and improving knee function . Recent studies report that mechanical traction can reduce knee pain and enhance physical function in patients with knee OA . It can also provide joint gapping and temporary joint unloading that suppress articular cartilage degeneration . Applying mechanical traction may also stimulate mechanoreceptors, thereby improving joint position sense and neuromuscular control. Despite its clinical use, there is limited evidence regarding the optimal sequencing of mechanical traction in relation to therapeutic exercises. Findings support that the addition and the application of mechanical traction after conventional physiotherapy contributes to better pain reduction and improvement in physical activity in patients with knee OA . Findings also support that the addition and the application of mechanical traction before therapeutic exercises was reported to reduce pain and disability; improve functional performance, isometric quadriceps & hamstring muscle strength in patients with knee OA . Understanding whether the timing of mechanical traction influences pain severity, disability, range of motion, proprioception, muscle strength, and functional performance is essential for optimizing rehabilitation protocols. Previous studies have primarily investigated outcomes such as pain and disability , isometric muscle strength, functional performance However, up to the author's knowledge no study investigated the effect of mechanical knee joint traction on knee proprioception (joint position sense) in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Therefore, the aim of this randomized controlled trial to investigate the effect of application of mechanical traction before versus after therapeutic exercises and exercise alone ,on pain severity , disability, knee joint range of motion , knee joint position sense , knee isometric muscle strength and functional performance in patients with primary knee OA.

A total of 63 patients aged 50 to 56 years with knee OA. Patients will be randomly assigned into three groups. Group A, exercise group will receive therapeutic exercises Group B ,Traction & exercise group will receive mechanical knee joint traction followed by the same therapeutic exercises of 1st group .Group C, • Exercise & traction group will receive the same therapeutic exercises of 1st group followed by mechanical knee joint traction. All groups will receive 18 sessions, 3 times per week each other day for 6 weeks. Adherence will be ensured using attendance logs and checklists. Outcome measures will include pain severity measured using Arabic Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS-Ar), disability measured using Arabic Version Of Western Ontario And Mcmaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC-Ar) , flexion/ extension knee joint ROM measured using digital goniometer, knee joint position sense (active knee joint repositioning test) measured using Dual digital inclinometer , quadriceps/ hamstring isometric muscle strength measured using hand Held Dynamometer (HHD) and functional performance measured using 12 Steps Stairs Climb Test (12SS_CT).

All assessments will be conducted at baseline (pre-treatment; 24-48 hrs. before the first treatment session) and after 6 weeks of intervention (post-treatment; 24-48 hrs. before the first treatment session

Inclusion criteria

• Patients with grade II or III primary knee OA .
• Patients with bilateral primary knee OA, the more painful knee will be selected as the affected knee .
• Duration of illness will be more than 3 months
• Age of patients will range from 50-65
• Body Mass Index (BMI) between 25 and 35 kg/m²

Exclusion criteria

• Rheumatoid arthritis .
• Intra-articular knee joint injection in the last three months
• Previous knee surgeries .
• Malignancy, infections or knee joint instability .
• Pregnancy .
• Patients who have received physical therapy on the knee within the last 3 months.