A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Mud Therapy Among Clients with Knee Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and the most prevalent type among rheumatic diseases. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disorder with minimal signs of inflammation, and it is a progressive disease whose clinical manifestations are joint structure abnormalities (visible by imaging modalities) and a symptom complex characterized by function limitation, pain, disability, and possibly with reduced quality of life. Pain is a sensation that is caused by a stimulus of harmful nature. It is the common and distressing manifestation of arthritis. Pharmacological pain remedies offer pain relief along with many unpleasant side effects. Mud pack therapy allows temporary relief from the pain but also allows the patient’s self-healing abilities to be activated along with a cheer and strength in their psychological and emotional level.
Method: A quantitative research approach with quasi experimental pre-test post-test one group design was adopted and study setting was conducted in Kalitheerthalkuppam, Puducherry. Thirty clients with knee osteoarthritis were selected with convenient sampling technique. Modified WOMAC (Western Ontario McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index) Index scale is a 20 item questionnaire with 5 points ranging score was used for assessing the knee joint pain among the study subjects in terms of pain, stiffness, and physical function.
Results: The frequency and percentage wise distribution on level of pain among clients with knee osteoarthritis. In pretest 3 (9.99%) of them had mild level of pain, 17 (56.61%) of them had moderate level of pain whereas, 10(33.3%) of them had severe level of pain. In posttest 21 (69.93%) of the client had mild level of pain and 9 (29.97%) of the patients had moderate level of pain. As on to the association with demographic variables, people with a lower duration of illness (34%), and (60%) of nonvegetarian in diet pattern and around (37%) of moderate workers in life style pattern had influence in reduction of pain and are associated with the mud therapy and shows that highly significant at p<0.01 level. Hence, mud therapy is effective in terms of pain relief and functional improvement among knee osteoarthritis clients.