To evaluate the effectiveness of implementing exercise therapy for knee osteoarthritis in the community.

From January to October 2019, 76 patients with knee osteoarthritis in the First People’s Hospital of Dongcheng District of Beijing were consecutively enrolled for a six-week exercise therapy. They were all treated in neighborhood communities pension station. Those with clinical diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis who could complete the six-week exercise therapy course were included. The patients with knee joint flexor extensor muscle strength lower than grade two, inflammatory arthritis or major organ failure were excluded. Active range of motion (AROM), 40 m walking test and 30 s sit-to-stand (STS) test were evaluated before and at six and 12 weeks after treatment. The hospital for special surgery knee score (HSS), Europe quality of life five dimensions questionnaire(EQ-5D)and visual analog scale (VAS) were acquired before and at six and 12 weeks after treatment. One-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare the results and Bonferroni test for inter group comparison. Satisfaction for the treatment was also recorded and analyzed by rank sum test.

Seventy-one patients (109 knees) were followed up at 12 weeks with a follow-up rate of 93.4% (71/76). Significant improvement in AROM(F=137.55, P<0.001), HSS score(F=108.81, P<0.001) and VAS score(F=179.72, P<0.001) was observed. VAS score statistically significantly decreased after treatment. The difference in EQ-5D(F=99.53, P<0.001), 40 m walking test (F=199.54, P<0.001) and 30 s STS (F=170.62, P<0.001) were also statistically significant at 12 weeks and six weeks compared with baseline. The score of EQ-5D increased after treatment. The results of 40 m walking test and 30 s STS test also improved. The overall satisfaction rate was 100%. The patients with Kellgren-Lawrence(K-L) grade ⅠorⅡ were more satisfied with exercise therapy than those with K-L grade Ⅲ or Ⅳ(U=401.5, P=0.044).

Exercise therapy in community can relieve the pain and improve range of motion of knee joint, thus improve the quality of life, indicating that exercise therapy can be an effective intervention for patients with knee in the community.