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Effects of a six week lower limb stretching programme on range of motion, peak passive torque and stiffness in people with and without osteoarthritis of the knee
Reid DA, McNair PJ
New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy 2011 Mar;39(1):5-12
clinical trial
7/10 [Eligibility criteria: Yes; Random allocation: Yes; Concealed allocation: Yes; Baseline comparability: Yes; Blind subjects: No; Blind therapists: No; Blind assessors: Yes; Adequate follow-up: Yes; Intention-to-treat analysis: No; Between-group comparisons: Yes; Point estimates and variability: Yes. Note: Eligibility criteria item does not contribute to total score] *This score has been confirmed*

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a six week stretching programme on knee extension range of motion (ROM), passive resistive torque and stiffness in older adults with and without osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. A randomized controlled trial design was utilised. Twenty two females and seventeen males aged between 60 and 78 years (mean 68.7, SD; 4.8) participated. Twenty participants of the 39 participants had OA of the knee joint. Participants were randomly assigned to stretch and control groups. The intervention used was three 60 second stretches to all major muscles in the lower limb, five days per week for six weeks. Using a Kincom dynamometer, knee extension ROM, peak passive torque and stiffness in the final 10% of knee extension ROM were measured. A significant (p < 0.05) increase in knee extension ROM, peak passive torque and stiffness was observed in the stretch group following the six week intervention period. No changes were observed in the control group. There was no significant difference in these variables across OA and non OA groups. For knee extension ROM, the mean (95% CI) change was 7.7 degrees (2.6 to 12.7) in the stretching group and 1.8 degrees (-5.8 to 2.1) degrees in the control group. For peak passive torque, the mean change (95% CI) was 7.1 Nm (2.9 to 11.3) in the stretching group and 1.0 Nm (-6.0 to 4.1) for the control group. For stiffness in the final 10% of knee extension range of motion, the mean change (95% CI) was 0.22 Nm/deg (0.06 to 0.35) in the stretching group and 0.06 Nm/deg (-0.2 to -0.1) in the control group. These results indicate that older adults with and without arthritis of the knee are able to demonstrate sustained improvements in joint range of motion with stretching interventions. This is important as the study demonstrated that simple stretching exercises are effective as part of the long term management of knee osteoarthritis and as way of improving range of motion in older adult populations.

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