• Ayşenur Gökşen, Filiz Can, Seval Yılmaz, and Feza Korkusuz.
• Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University, Karaman, Turkey.
• Turk J Med Sci. 2021 Dec 13; 51 (6): 308930973089-3097.

Background/AimThis study was conducted to compare the effects of conventional physiotherapy and two different ‘proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation’ (PNF) techniques on knee muscle strength, knee muscular endurance, and proprioception in knee osteoarthritis (KOA).Materials And MethodsThe study included 35 patients between the ages of 47 and 62 who were diagnosed with stage 1-2 KOA. The patients were divided into three groups with block randomization method as Repeated Stretching Group (N = 12) With Repeated Stretching Technique, Combined Isotonic Contraction Group (N = 11) With Combined Isotonic Contractions (CIC) Technique, And Conventional Physiotherapy Group (n = 12). PNF was applied to all patterns of the lower extremity in full pattern and patients in all groups were treated for 6 weeks, 3 days a week. Muscle strength, muscle endurance, and proprioception were evaluated with Biodex System Pro3 (Biodex Corp. Shirley NY, USA).ResultsKnee extensor muscle strength showed more improvement at CIC group than the other groups, and CIC group showed more improvement compared to the conventional physiotherapy in terms of knee joint position sensation evaluated at 60° (p < 0.05).ConclusionAll methods were effective in patients with early-stage knee osteoarthritis; however, the most effective results were obtained by PNF using CIC technique.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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