Characteristics of osteoarthritis at knee joint patients attended at CRP

Abstract

Purpose: To explore the characteristics of Osteoarthritis at knee joint. Objective: To determine the age range of the patients, to compare the gender, to determine Body weight, to identify the occupations of the patient, to determine the number of affected knee, to find out the aggravating factors, to explore the severity of pain, to find out the past medical history among the patients and to explore the outcome of Physiotherapy treatment for the patients with Knee OA. Methodology: A quantitative cross-sectional study design was chosen to accomplish the objectives of the study. 50 subjects were selected through simple random sampling technique from the outpatient musculoskeletal department of CRP. A structural questionnaire was used for collecting data from the participants. Result: The mean age of the participant was 54±8.4. The result of the study demonstrates that n=29 (58.00%) female are affected by OA where as n=21 (42.00%) are male. The frequent occupations affected by OA Knee are included housewife n=23(46.00%), office job n=12(24.00%), businessman n=7(14.00%) and teacher n=4(8.00%). Among the participants n=39 (78.00%) subjects had obesity and n=35 (70.00%) have positive family history of OA, among the subjects n=22(44.00%) were affected by bilateral OA knee with moderate types of pain at knee in n=33(66.00%) where as n=14(28.00%) patients have severe pain and n=3(6.00%) patient have mild pain. Just n=13(26.00%) were diabetic and n=29(58.00%) patients were hypertensive and n=27(54.00%) patients were under Physiotherapy treatment and all of them were improving. The finding also reflects that the participants who live in rural area have less educational status than who live in urban areas; Obese patient have experienced more pain in squatting position comparing to those who are normal in weight; bending activities such as squatting at Asian toilet provoke more pain than European toilet, Patient experienced locking at knee joint who had past history of trauma at knee joint. Conclusion: The vulnerable age range to develop OA knee is over 40 and obviously obesity is one of the key issues to develop OA. Health education and promotion and perform regular exercise can prevent obesity, thus it can also prevent OA. The outcome also indicates that bending and household activity aggravate OA knee. So, life style and ergonomic modification can help a lot to minimize the symptoms of knee OA.