Successful Treatment of a Patient with Knee Osteoarthritis
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SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT OF A PATIENT WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS USING THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE AND PASSIVE MOBILIZATION WITH REGARD TO REGIONAL INTERDEPENDENCE A Doctoral Project A Comprehensive Case Analysis Presented to the faculty of the Department of Physical Therapy California State University, Sacramento Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY by Athena A. Powers SUMMER 2017 © 2017 Athena A. Powers ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT OF A PATIENT WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS USING THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE AND PASSIVE MOBILIZATION WITH REGARD TO REGIONAL INTERDEPENDENCE A Doctoral Project by Athena Powers Approved by: _____________________________________, Committee Chair Rafael Escamilla, PT, PhD _____________________________________, First Reader Michael McKeough, PT, EdD _____________________________________, Second Reader Brad Stockert, PT, PhD ____________________________ Date iii Student: Athena A. Powers I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the University format manual, and that this project is suitable for shelving in the Library and credit is to be awarded for the project. __________________________________, Department Chair ____________ Michael McKeough, PT, EdD Date Department of Physical Therapy iv Abstract of SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT OF A PATIENT WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS USING THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE AND PASSIVE MOBILIZATION WITH REGARD TO REGIONAL INTERDEPENDENCE by Athena A. Powers A patient with a chief complaint of anteromedial knee pain in the left knee, perception of instability and giving way and an inability to walk more than 3 miles was seen for physical therapy treatment for 7 sessions from March to May, 2016 at an outpatient orthopedic pro bono clinic at CSU, Sacramento. Treatment was provided by a student physical therapist under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist. The patient was evaluated at the initial encounter with goniometry, manual muscle testing, dynamometry, Numeric Pain Rating Scale, the Lower Extremity Functional Scale, the Six-Minute Walk Test, and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index and a plan of care was established. Main goals for the patient were to improve pain levels, strength, range of motion, and motor control during functional activities and gait. Main interventions used were manual therapy including passive mobilizations to the left knee and hip, motor control training, v therapeutic exercise and individualized progressive stretching and strengthening home exercise program. The patient eliminated pain and improved strength, range of motion, gait speed. The patient was discharged to home with a home exercise program. _____________________________________, Committee Chair Rafael Escamilla, PT, PhD _______________________ Date vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I acknowledge California State University, Sacramento for the opportunity to learn about and treat outpatient orthopedic patients at our Pro Bono clinic and Bill Garcia for consenting to be my Clinical Instructor for this case study. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgements .............................................................................................. vii List of Tables ......................................................................................................... ix Chapter 1. GENERAL BACKGROUND .......................................................................... 1 2. CASE BACKGROUND DATA ....................................................................... 4 3. EXAMINATION – TESTS AND MEASURES .............................................. 9 4. EVALUATION .............................................................................................. 15 5. PLAN OF CARE – GOALS AND INTERVENTIONS ................................ 17 6. OUTCOMES .................................................................................................. 23 7. DISCUSSION ................................................................................................. 26 References ............................................................................................................ 28 viii LIST OF TABLES Tables Page 1. Medication Table………………… .................. .……………………………….7 2. Examination Table……………………….… ........... …………………………14 3. Evaluation and Plan of Care… .. ………….…………………………………. 17 4. Outcomes……………………………….……… ... …………………………. 23 ix 1 Chapter 1 General Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is a commonly progressive disease that affects joint structures, especially cartilage protecting the articulating surfaces of bones in joints, but also affects the synovial capsule, ligaments, periarticular musculature1, and the bones themselves.1,2 Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent form of arthritis, especially in those over forty years of age.1 About 12% of Americans over the age of 25 (27 million individuals) have clinical OA of some joint. Depending on the source, the age at which either men or women have higher incidence rates of OA varies. In individuals aged 50-65, OA affects more men than women, but that trend reverses itself after age 65. Incidence rates of knee osteoarthritis occurs in 240 per 100,000 person years, and are higher among women, especially after 50 years of age. After fifty years of age, men have a 45% reduced incidence rate compared to women. Incidence rates also increase with age, and level off around age 80.2 Risk factors known to influence the development of OA in general include many systemic and local factors. Systemic factors include age, gender, race, genetics, metabolic/endocrine factors, high bone density, nutritional status (e.g., Vitamin D deficiency), and congenital or developmental obesity. Local factors include acquired obesity, major trauma in the affected joint, repetitive stress from one’s occupation, muscle weaknesses, altered joint biomechanics, joint malalignment, and proprioceptive impairments. Specific risk factors to OA in the knee include obesity, 2 varus malalignments of the knee, leg length discrepancies, and repetitive kneeling and/or heavy lifting.1 Osteoarthritis may be self-limiting or may progress to a failure of that joint, often resulting in a joint replacement to restore function. Rapid progression of the disease is uncommon, but progression of the disease may accompany advanced age, co-morbidities, or inactivity.1 Excessive pain or functional disability may result in a referral of the patient to a surgeon for a total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Although the time period between symptom onset and TKA may span from 1-50 years,3 several factors have emerged as useful prognostic indicators for this patient population in terms of predicting disability, probable TKA necessity, and poorer outcomes post physical therapy intervention in general. For any musculoskeletal problem, physical factors that lead to poorer outcomes include pain of higher intensities, longer durations and in multiple impaired areas, having had a previous musculoskeletal problem in the past, more movement restriction, and higher baseline disability. Psychosocial prognostic factors include anxiety, depression, adverse coping strategies, decreased social support, and higher levels of general distress are more likely to lead to poorer outcomes for these patients.4 With regards to knee OA in particular, the factors that predicted the most disability and need for TKA were higher pain levels and obesity.3,5 Other important factors were the presence of anteroposterior knee joint laxity, presence of comorbidities, and the psychosocial factors of anxiety, depression, and perception of 3 helplessness.4,5 Age and radiographic severity of the disease, counterintuitively, may not be predictive of disability or need for surgery in this population.3,5 4 Chapter 2 Case Background Data Examination – History The patient was a 70-year-old retired clinical neuropsychologist and public administrator. The patient’s chief complaint was pain in his left (L) anteromedial knee (0-6/10) upon ascending and descending stairs, walking outdoors on uneven ground, sudden movements during weight-bearing activities, and upon waking in the morning with accompanying stiffness. This pain was eased by regular participation in aquatic exercise classes, application of heat, application of ice in the evenings on particularly active days, and remaining mindful of a heel-toe gait pattern. The patient reported regular swelling, feelings of instability, a fear of the affected knee “giving way” if the patient did not concentrate on controlling the joint’s motion during activities, and painful crepitus especially after an immobile period. The patient reported a painful “locking” of the knee joint especially when the hip was internally or externally rotated during walking on uneven ground. The patient complained of intermittent and variable pain in the lower lumbar spine (0-3/10), and two co-occurring pain areas along the length of the anterolateral lower leg and foot (both 0-7/10), including the fifth toe that was usually aggravated at night. These pain areas were eased by changing sleeping position, placement of pillows between knees when sidelying, and engaging in various activities such as walking or playing with dogs before going back to bed. The medical history related to the patient’s chief complaint included an arthroscopy on the affected knee to remove loose bodies twenty years prior, a four- 5 year history of the patient’s current symptoms gradually worsening and an exacerbation of symptoms six months prior