Author(s): CHEN, Y., MA, C.Q., ZHENG, S.B., LI, Z.W., Institution: GUANGZHOU UNIVERSITY OF CHINESE MEDICINE, Country: CHINA, Abstract-ID: 2146

INTRODUCTION:
Knee osteoarthritis(KOA) is one of the most common degenerative bone and joint diseases. In recent years, Tai Chi has been widely used in the exercise therapy of patients with knee osteoarthritis because it can effectively reduce the symptoms, improve function, and reduce anxiety, depression and other negative emotions of KOA patients. As an essential antagonistic training in traditional Tai Chi training, Tai Chi pushing hands(TCPH) is rarely studied as part of the intervention program. The purpose of this study is to explore the intervention effect of Taiji push hand on middle-aged and elderly patients with knee osteoarthritis.
METHODS:
Fifty patients with KOA (age: 56.84±8.45 years, height: 159.40±4.95 cm, mass: 61.76±9.16 kg) were randomly divided into control group (CON group) and Tai Chi push hand group (TCPH group). CON group used the arthritis exercise prescription recommended by ACSM for 12 weeks of unsupervised home exercise rehabilitation; TCPH group conducted 12 weeks of collective rehabilitation training with Tai Chi pushing hands as the main content, 3 times a week, 90 minutes each time. The test data of pain visual analogue scale (VAS), Lysholm knee function score (LKSS), lower limb strength, Y-balance test (YBT) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) were collected before and 12 weeks after the intervention. T-test or two-way ANOVA with repeated measurements were used for statistical analysis in accordance with normal distribution; Rank sum test was used to analyze the data that did not conform to the normal distribution.
RESULTS:
(1) The VAS of TCPH group before intervention was 4.47 ± 1.58, and the score after intervention was 1.00 ± 0.94, which was significantly decreased (P<0.001). (2) The LKSS of the TCPH group was 70.16 ± 6.77 before intervention and 92.68 ± 6.06 after intervention, with significant difference (P<0.001). (3) In the lower limb strength and YBT, there were significant differences between the two groups (P<0.001); The scores of the three dimensions of DASS-21 were significantly different before and after treatment (P<0.05); (4) There was no significant difference in the indexes of the CON group before and after treatment (P>0.05). (5) Sports participation: the average attendance rate of the hand pushing group was 75.74%. In the control group, two subjects maintained exercise habits during the intervention, but the time, frequency and intensity of exercise did not meet the standard. The rest of the subjects stopped exercising within two weeks after the end of teaching.
CONCLUSION:
(1) Tai Chi pushing hands intervention program can reduce knee pain, improve knee function, improve dynamic balance ability, and improve the mental health level of patients with KOA. (2) The control group showed no significant improvement in all indicators, indicating that exercise compliance may be an important factor affecting the effect of KOA exercise therapy.