Sanatorium-resort rehabilitation of working age patients with knee joints osteoarthritis

Abstract

Purpose: to theoretically substantiate and improve the means of sanatorium-resort rehabilitation for patients with knee joints osteoarthritis. Materials and methods. Research was conducted in 30 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee joints, who were undergoing sanatorium treatment at the “Eagle’s Nest” sanatorium. The age of the patients was from 50 to 60 years, of which 12 were men and 18 were women. The following research methods were used to control the patients’ clinical and functional condition: assessment of pain in the affected limb using a visual-analog pain scale, assessment of the movements amplitude in the knee joints using a goniometer scale graduated from 0 to 180 degrees, muscle strength assessment using the B.O. Epifanov method. Results. As a result of the sanatorium-resort rehabilitation course, along with the improvement of the clinical picture, a decrease in the degree of pain in the area of the knee joint from severe to moderate intense is noted. According to the goniometric study, the amplitude of movements in the knee joint increased from 89,7 ± 1,4 ° to 117,3 ± 1,6 °. The indicators of thigh muscle strength according to V.O. Epifanov’s scale increased from two to four points, and indicates that the patient independently performs active movements and can overcome a little resistance from the rehabilitator; shin muscles from two to three points – the patient independently performs active movements, but cannot overcome a little resistance from the rehabilitation specialist. Conclusions. The developed complex program of sanatorium-resort rehabilitation of patients with osteoarthritis of the knee joints, along with the improvement of the clinical picture, is aimed at increasing the amplitude of movements in the joint, increasing the strength of the muscles of the affected limb, at the same time improving the well-being and increasing the working capacity of the patients.