Physiotherapy Practice Patterns in the Management of Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the leading disabilities throughout the world. With a prevalence of 365 million, the knee is the most frequently affected joint, followed by the hip and the hand. It is characterized by functional restriction and reduced quality of life. Physiotherapists play an important role in preventing them. This study aimed to find out the management preferences used by the Physical Therapists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for knee OA treatment. The study was ethically approved by the Khyber Medical University, Institute of Physical Medical and Rehabilitation, Peshawar. This descriptive cross-sectional study surveyed clinical physiotherapists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to explore their management preferences for knee OA treatment. Physiotherapists were sampled using purposive sampling. A questionnaire adapted from (Ayanniyi, Egwu, and Adeniyi 2017) was utilized. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for responses. A total of 300 physiotherapists were included in the study. Based on clinical investigation, a majority of physiotherapists (88.8%) demanded an x-ray as a part of the diagnostic process for knee OA, while (11.2%) depended on physical/clinical examination. Therapeutic exercise was the most common protocol approach used by 86.2% of Physical Therapists for knee OA management. The second most common protocol was education on weight reduction (80%). Manual therapy was the choice of treatment for 75.8% of Physical Therapists followed by Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) (57%), ice/heat (50%), and bed rest advice (39.3). We concluded from this investigation that most Physical Therapists used therapeutic exercise and weight loss as their priorities.