THE ROLE OF NATURAL BIOTHERAPEUTIC FACTORS IN PAIN AND FUNCTIONAL MANAGEMENT OF KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) represents one of the most frequently treated pathology within the rehabilitation departments all over the world; it involves people over 40, mostly overweight subjects. Our present study, performed on 65 patients diagnosed with knee OA, treated with physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and peloidotherapy in the Balneal Sanatorium of Techirghiol, Romania, tries to demonstrate the importance of the natural biotherapeutic factors on the pain and knee functioning in this pathologic condition. All the patients were assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Functional Independence Measures (FIM), prior and after the treatment. Exclusion criteria were the major pathologic conditions that represent contraindications for physical therapies, and associated neurologic and post-traumatic conditions, also. The results demonstrate the reduction, with almost 50%, of the initial pain intensity score and the improvement of general functioning with almost 35%. So, we conclude that natural therapeutic factors can represent a safe nonpharmacological therapeutic way for improving the functionality of these patients, directly related with pain intensity, with low cost and high accessibility.