Manual Therapy Versus Closed Kinematic Exercises—The Influence on the Range of Movement in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Pilot Study

Reduced range of motion is one of the main symptoms of knee osteoarthritis. These deficits are believed to have a negative impact on activities of daily living. The aim of the study was to examine how manual therapy and closed-chain kinematic exercises affect the range of motion in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Sixty-six patients with knee osteoarthritis were recruited and divided into three groups: manual therapy group, exercise group, and control group. The following parameters were evaluated before and after 10 days of rehabilitation: the range of motion in the open and closed kinematic chain using Orthyo sensors, pain intensity using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and the subjective functional assessment in Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). The results indicate an increase in the range of motion after manual therapy in the open chain test and an increase in the possible range of motion in the closed chain test in the exercise group. Both study groups showed significant improvement of WOMAC-assessed function and a significant decrease of VAS-assessed pain following rehabilitation. Manual therapy and exercise affect the range of motion in patients with knee osteoarthritis. When examining the range of motion, it is worth taking into account various biomechanical conditions.