The Effect of Local Cold Compression upon Pain and Movement Restriction among Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Aim: The current study focused on examining the effect of local cold compression upon pain and movement restriction among patients with knee osteoarthritis. Background: Knee Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common non-inflammatory rheumatic joint diseases which occurs on synovial bone as a result of imbalance between joint cartilage synthesis and its destruction. And it characterized with damaged joint cartilage, new bone formation on joint cartilage, joint pain and movement restriction. The aim of knee OA treatment is to control pain, movement restriction and other symptoms, to slow disease progression, to increase and to maintain patients' movement function. Local cold compression, one of the non-pharmacologic methods, produces such effects as eliminating/reducing pain, preventing edema and slowing inflammation process by providing local therapeutic anesthesia. Therefore, importance of cold compression is emphasized among patients with arthritis.