Treatment of primary and early knee osteoarthritis with hip joint rotative extending manupilation: a randomized controlled study.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of hip joint rotative extending manupilation in the treatment of primary and early knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Methods From September 2022 to May 2023, a total of 148 patients with primary and early KOA were recruited from The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University of Chinese Medicine. According to the random numbers generated from computer, the patients were randomly divided into the experimental group (74 cases, including eight dropouts) and the control group (74 cases, including 11 dropouts). Both groups received health education, while the experimental group additionally underwent hip joint rotative extending manupilation every two days, the control group received oral diclofenac sodium sustained-release tablets (75 mg/d). Both groups were treated for 2 weeks. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score and the Western Ontario and McMaster University (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index score were compared between the two groups at three time points: before treatment, after treatment, and at follow-up (2 weeks after treatment). The 36-item Short- Form (SF-36) scale score was compared between the two groups at two time points: before treatment and at follow-up. The clinical efficacy was evaluated. Results The VAS score and WOMAC osteoarthritis index score of the two groups after treatment and at follow-up were lower than those before treatment, and the VAS score and WOMAC osteoarthritis index score of the experimental group were lower than those of the control group (P<0. 05). The SF-36 scale score was higher in the experimental group than that in the control group at follow-up (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 90.9% in the experimental group, which was higher than 79. 3% in the control group (P<0. 05). Conclusion Hip joint rotative extending manupilation is effective for relieving pain, alleviating clinical symptoms, and improving joint function in patients with primary and early KOA. It is more effective than oral diclofenac sodium sustained-release tablets and has greater clinical application value. This may be attributed to manual adjustment of the femur rotation status and the relative position between the femoral head and the acetabulum, correcting the abnormal force line of the lower limbs, and balancing the weight-bearing state of the knee joint, so as to achieve the effect of treating KOA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]