Effects of knee pain improvement programs in middle- and older-aged women with knee pain

Abstract

Objective: The present study examined the effects of the self-management print media intervention on improving quality of life. Methods: The study was designed as an intervention study. We conducted questionnaire research on women (JKOM, Japanese style CSQ) over 40 years old who had knee pain. After program relevance determination, self-management print media intervention and an exercise intervention were implemented. The participants were 63 women (self-management print media intervention), and 80 women (exercise intervention). We examined valiances of pain intensity and activity limitation and pain coping strategies on each intervention using Wilcoxon signed-ranks test. Results: Pain intensity and activity limitation improved in both interventions. On the other hand, pain coping strategies differed. In the self-management print media intervention, the scores of diverting attention, praying or hoping, increasing activity level and increasing pain behavior significantly decreased. For the exercise intervention, a significant decrease was seen in coping, self-statements, catastrophixing, increasing activity level, and increasing pain behavior. Conclusion: The results indicated that the self-management print media intervention had greater effect than the exercise intervention for women with knee pain. As one health assistance measure, this self-management print media intervention should become widely used.