OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effectiveness of resistance exercise in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis on pain, stiffness, and physical function. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Web of Science, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database were searched from the date of inception to August 2015. METHODS: Trials comparing effects of resistance exercise intervention with either non-intervention or psycho-educational intervention were selected by two reviewers independently. The risk of bias was assessed and studies with similar outcomes were pooled using a fixed or random effects model. RESULTS: Data from 17 randomized clinical trials including 1,705 patients were integrated. The main source of methodological bias in the selected studies was lack of double blinding. The meta-analysis results suggested that resistance exercise training relieved pain (standard mean difference (SMD) -0.43; 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.57 to -0.29; p < 0.001), alleviated stiffness (SMD -0.31; 95% CI -0.56 to -0.05; p = 0.02), and improved physical function (SMD -0.53; 95% CI -0.70 to -0.37; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Resistance exercise is beneficial in terms of reducing pain, alleviating stiffness, and improving physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• DOI
• PubMed
• PDF locator
• publisher