Knee Pain Arthritis

Knee osteoarthritis is a leading cause of disability, and the muscle weakness that limits walking in this population arises not only from the joint itself but from afferent signals that inhibit motor drive to the thigh muscle, which is why exercise alone so often produces incomplete recovery. This project examines whether brief, non-invasive electrical stimulation of a nerve behind the knee can reduce inhibition and restore muscle coordination while walking in adults with knee osteoarthritis. Establishing this effect would identify a modifiable neural target that current rehabilitation does not address, with the potential to improve physical function and independence for the millions of adults living with this condition.

This study involves the use of sound waves to block pain signals caused by osteoarthritis of the knee. The sound waves are tightly focused on a specific area of the nerve. The sound waves cause a break in the nerve which carries pain signals. Sound waves transmit through the skin so there is no need for needles. The procedure takes approximately one hour. The device has been approved in Health Canada and Europe for the treatment of lower back pain. This study is to evaluate the use of the same device for people in Canada who have knee pain related to osteoarthritis.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if imageless navigation is not inferior to image-based navigation in robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RA-TKA) for treating patients with knee osteoarthritis. The main questions the study aims to answer are: 1. Does imageless procedure provide functional results comparable to those of image-based navigation? 2. Are there differences in postoperative complications patients may experience after RA-TKA with imageless and image-based navigation? Researchers will compare imageless navigation with image-based navigation used in total knee arthroplasty to assess whether imageless navigation is comparable for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Participants will: 1. Answer survey questions about knee pain and function before RA-TKA. 2. Undergo RA-TKA with imageless navigation or image-based navigation. 3. Visit the Clinic after 6 months and 12 months after surgery for checkups and to answer the same survey questions about postoperative knee pain and function.

A randomized controlled trial will be conducted at the Department of Physiotherapy, Dr. Ziauddin Hospital and Al-Rayaz Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. A total of 150 patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, aged between 40-60 years, will be recruited through a non-probability purposive sampling technique. Written informed consent will be obtained from all eligible participants prior to enrollment. The participants will be randomly allocated by the help of computer generated randomization sheet, into two groups i.e. experimental and the control group, with 75 participants in each group. Group A (experimental group) will receive diagonal proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) pattern exercises, while Group B (control group) will receive conventional strength training exercises. Heat therapy will be administered to both groups. All participants will be assessed using a standardized assessment form. Outcome measures will include pain intensity, knee range of motion, functional disability, hamstring flexibility, dynamic balance, and fatigue level. A single blinded assessor will assess all participants at baseline and at post intervention. Treatment sessions will be given thrice a week on alternate days for 6 weeks.