A Comparative Study of the Efficacy of Two Different Muscle Energy Techniques in Improving Pain and Knee Extension in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Clinical Trial Muscle Energy Techniques in Knee OA
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Abstract
Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease-causing pain and restricted movement. Muscle energy techniques (METs) are commonly used to manage OA symptoms, but their comparative effectiveness remains unclear.
Objective: To compare the effects of two METs—post-isometric relaxation (PIR) and reciprocal inhibition (RI) in reducing pain and improving knee extension in patients with knee OA.
Methods: This single-blinded, randomized clinical trial included 32 patients with knee OA, randomly assigned to two groups: PIR (n = 16) and RI (n = 16). Both groups received 12 treatment sessions over four weeks, including baseline moist heat. Pain was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and knee extension was measured with a goniometer. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25 with the Friedman and Mann-Whitney U tests for within- and between-group comparisons.
Results: PIR reduced pain by 35.33 points (p = 0.001) and improved knee extension by 6.93° (p = 0.004). RI reduced pain by 21.73 points (p = 0.003) and improved knee extension by 5.46° (p = 0.001). PIR showed significantly better pain reduction compared to RI (p = 0.001).
Conclusion: Both PIR and RI effectively improved knee extension, but PIR was more effective in reducing pain in knee OA patients.
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