Background: Osteoarthritis is ranked as the 10th largest contributor to global years lived with disabilities, and its prevalence has more than doubled in the last 10 years. The knee joint is the most frequently afflicted joint in Egyptian individuals with primary osteoarthritis approximately 8–15% of the general population has been found to have knee joint osteoarthritis.
Purpose: To evaluate local vibration effects for iliotibial band (ITB) release on pain intensity, pain pressure threshold (PPT), lower limb (LL) function and knee range of motion (ROM) in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).
Subjects and methods: A single-blind randomized controlled trial that included thirty patients who suffered from unilateral knee OA. They were recruited from the Police Hospital, Nasr city, Egypt. They were assigned randomly into two groups equal in number, 15 patients each. Control group (A) received a conventional physical therapy program while experimental group (B) received the same program in addition to ITB release by using local vibration. Treatment sessions were admitted 3 times a week for 4 weeks.
Results: When compared to the pre-treatment condition, the pain intensity decreased, PPT declined, LL functional activity improved, and increased ROM of knee joint was noted in both groups. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean value of all dependent variables in control group, and their corresponding variables in experimental group. Group (A) P-value of pain intensity, PPT, lower limb function, and knee ROM were (p = 0.001), (p= 0.026), (p = 0.001), and (p= 0.023) respectively in favor to group B.
Conclusion: The local vibration has a great impact on reducing pain intensity, PPT, and improving LL function and knee ROM by releasing the tension of ITB in patients with knee OA.