Background and purpose: Osteoarthritis is a disease that accounts for most knee joint replacement surgeries and lost efficacy at work and is the most common cause of musculoskeletal pain and disability in adults. This study was designed to investigate the role of using natural environmentally selected herbal extracts mixture on managing physical disability caused by primary knee osteoarthritis.
Subjects and method: Eighty patients were recruited from outpatient clinic at National Heart Institute and enrolled in this study. They were suffering from grade (C) knee osteoarthritis and had disability in daily living activities. They were divided randomly into two equal groups: a study group, patients received physical therapy program for 12 sessions, in addition to applying a topical ointment containing the selected mixture of herbal oils, and they were instructed to rub the affected area with the ointment twice daily, and a control group received a physical therapy program and a placebo ointment. Dynamic knee pain during walking and functional mobility were assessed.
Results: Statistical analysis revealed a significant improvement (p=0.001) in dynamic knee pain during walking in the study group compared to control group. Functional mobility showed a significant difference (p= 0.001) in the favor of study group as well.
Conclusion: Using such mixture of herbal extracts in combination with regular physical therapy program can decrease knee joint pain during walking, which permit more functional mobility for patients with grade (C) osteoarthritis thus helping in decrease physical disability and regain their health-related quality of life.