Physiotherapy procedures for knee osteoarthritis

Osteoartritis jedna je od najčešćih reumatskih bolesti u današnjem vremenu. Ova degenerativna bolest kroničnog i progresivnog tijeka zahvaća populaciju starije životne dobi. Dijagnoza osteoartritisa koljena postavlja se na temelju subjektivnih simptoma bolesnika i objektivnog kliničkog nalaza, a definitivna dijagnoza se postavlja radiološkom pretragom koljena. Liječenje osteoartritisa koljena je može biti farmakološko i nefarmakološko. U nefarmakološko liječenje spadaju konzervativne i kirurške metode. Nefarmakološko konzervativno liječenje podrazumijeva promjenu načina života bolesnika i adekvatnu fizikalnu terapiju. U kirurško liječenje osteoartritisa koljena spadaju palijativni artroskopski i klasični kirurški zahvati. Za uznapredovale slučajeve osteoartritisa koju su rezistentni na konzervativnu terapiju pogodniji su zahvati ugradnje endopropteza i artrodeza. Fizikalna terapija je i dalje zlatni standard u liječenju OA koljena. Fizikalne terapije mogu biti aktivne ili pasivne metode. U aktivne metode fizikalne terapije spadaju terapijsko vježbanje i hidroterapija. Dok ultrazvuk, kriomasaža i svi ostali elektroterapijski modaliteti spadaju u pasivne metode fizikalne terapije. Osteoarthritis is one of the most common rheumatic diseases nowadays. This degenerative disease with a chronic and progressive course affects the elderly population. The diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the knee is made on the basis of a patient's subjective symptoms and objective clinical findings. However, the definitive diagnosis is established based on a radiological examination of the knee. The treatment of knee osteoarthritis can be pharmacological and non-pharmacological. Non-pharmacological treatment includes conservative and surgical methods. Non-pharmacological conservative treatment implies a change in a patient's lifestyle and adequate physical therapy. The surgical treatment of knee osteoarthritis includes palliative arthroscopic and classical surgical procedures. For the advanced cases of osteoarthritis that are resistant to conservative therapy, endoprosthesis and arthrodesis procedures are more suitable. Physical therapy remains the gold standard in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Physical therapies can be active or passive methods. Active methods of physical therapy include kinesiotherapy and hydrotherapy, while ultrasound, cryomassage and all other electrotherapeutic modalities belong to passive methods of physical therapy.