Effect of Mechanical Traction and Therapeutic Exercises in Treatment of Primary Knee Osteoarthritis

Continuous knee joint mechanical traction will be applied to the patients positioned in supine lying position with the affected knee flexed at 25-30 degrees by a wedge placed under the affected knee. The thigh will be secured with a strap for stabilization and the leg will be held by the specially designed greave with the weight of traction hanging throughout a pulley system. The amount of traction will be set to about 10% of body weight. The treatment will be applied for 20 minutes continuously, once a day, 3 times per week for 4 weeks. The traction force will be progressed gradually during the program ( e.g.: weekly increase force by 1% of body weight if the patient can tolerate the duration of 20 min with the preset force).

"Therapeutic exercises will be divided into stretching and strengthening exercises:~Stretching will be done passively for the hamstring, rectus femoris and calf muscles. Each exercise will be done for 3 reps each with a hold period of 30-60 secs with a 30-60 rest period between reps.~Strengthening exercises will be done for the quadriceps and hamstring muscles ( inner range knee extension- knee extension in sitting- straight leg raise in flexion- prone hamstring curl- standing hamstring curl- straight leg raise in extension). Exercise will be done for 3 sets each will consist of 10 reps with a rest period of 2-3 minutes between sets. The starting weight should be 50% of the patient's 1 RM. The end position will be held for 5 seconds. Progression will be achieved by increasing the exercise rep and intensity gradually throughout the program. E.g.: weekly increase force by 5% if patient can tolerate an increased repetition of 20 rep with the preset force."