INTERVENTIONAL RESEARCH ON EFFECT OF ILIOTIBIAL BAND STRETCHING ON PAIN & FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH UNILATERAL KNEE JOINT OSTEOARTHRITIS

Abstract

Background: With a prevalence of 25% to 40% in India, osteoarthritis is the 2^nd most common rheumatological problem. The body's most often affected joint is the knee joint. In addition, tight muscles, especially biarticular muscles such as rectus femoris & iliotibial band contribute to early joint degeneration. During knee flexion movement, the tight iliotibial band pulls the patella laterally & also externally rotates the tibia, triggering the resulting changes in the pattern of tibiofemoral joint interaction. For proper joint alignment, balancing of the medial & lateral static & dynamic stabilisers is important.

Aim of the study: To discover the effect of stretching the iliotibial band on pain & function in patients with unilateral knee joint osteoarthritis.

Methodology: This research was performed on 40 unilateral knee osteoarthritis patients, who were divided into two groups. In addition, both groups underwent traditional physiotherapy treatment & the interventional group underwent stretching of the iliotibial band. Before & after treatment, both groups were tested to evaluate the degree of pain level reduction & functional limitation using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) & WOMAC respectively.

Result: Patients in both the monitoring & intervention groups demonstrated a decrease in pain & an increase in function at the end of 4 weeks. However, the intervention group demonstrated a statistically meaningful increase over the control group. (p<0.05)

Conclusion: In patients with unilateral knee osteoarthritis, iliotibial band stretching along with traditional physiotherapy helps to minimise pain & enhance function.

Keywords: Osteoarthritis, Knee joint, Iliotibial band, Ober’s test.