The immediate effect of neuromuscular joint facilitation (NJF) treatment for knee osteoarthritis

Abstract

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the changes of pain severity and walking ability of elderly people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) after neuromuscular joint facilitation (NJF) treatment. [Subjects] The subjects were twenty elderly people with knee OA (7 males, 13 females), and the subjects were divided into two groups: a NJF group and a control group. [Methods] Participants in the NJF group received NJF treatment. Participants in the control group received the conventional rehabilitation treatment. The changes in pain severity were assessed with a visual analogue scale (VAS), and the changes in walking ability were assessed with walking velocity, step length, and cadence. [Results] The NJF group showed significant increases in walking velocity, step length and decreased cadence. VAS was significantly decreased in both groups. [Conclusion] Our results show that NJF treatment not only decreased pain severity, but also improved the walking ability of elderly subjects with knee osteoarthritis.