Comparison of clinic-based versus home-based balance and agility training for the symptoms of knee osteo-arthritis

Objective. To compare clinic-based (CB) and home-based (HB) deliveries of a knee osteoarthritis (OA) exercise programme. Methods. Outcomes from a CB exercise study (N=6) utilising kinesthesia, balance and agility (KBA) exercises were compared with those from a HB KBA study (N=6). Both conditions trained 30 minutes, 3 days per week for 8 weeks. CB sessions were conducted in a group led by an exercise physiologist (EP); HB participants received an initial 3 sessions of one-to-one training from an EP, written/pictorial instructions, telephone and e-mail follow-up, and in-person refresher sessions during weeks 4 and 6. The primary outcome was an OA-specific physical function survey. Community activity level, self-report knee stability, 15-m get up and go walk, and stair climb and descent were also measured. Results. Adherence was 94% in both conditions. KBA improved PF in both CB (59%; 18±12.5 pts; p=0.008) and HB (33%; 7.3±7.5 pts; p=0.03), with no difference between conditions. All outcome improvements were somewhat larger for CB, but these differences did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion. We found no difference in outcomes between CB and HB exercise in this preliminary comparison. Our results support that KBA is an effective intervention for symptomatic knee OA that may be delivered in CB or HB settings.