A Study on the Effects of Quadriceps Femoris Flexibility Exercise on the Functional Ability of the Patients with Degenerated Arthritis

대퇴사두근 유연성 운동이 퇴행성 슬관절염 환자의 기능활동정도에 미치는 영향

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of quadriceps femoris flexibility exercise which would improve the degree of knee flexion range of motion, extension torque, and the activities of daily living (ADL) in elderly subjects with degenerative knee arthritis. Fourteen elderly patients (two men and twelve women) with degenerative knee arthritis participated and had a quadriceps femoris flexibility exercise intervention program in this study. The mean age of the patients was 70.00 years for men and 71.16 years for women. This study carried out the experimental study of one group pretest-posttest design, which evaluated the degree of knee flexion range of motion, extension torque, the ADL ability of the patients before and after applying the exercise intervention for five weeks. The results of this study are as follow: 1. The knee flexion ranges of motion of the patients were measured before and after the intervention and the ranges increased significantly both in the left and right knee flexion range of motion (p < 0.05). 2. The peak torque of the knee muscle, the peak torque/body weight, and average power of the patients showed significant increases in both in the left and right knee after applying the intervention (p < 0.05). 3. The intervention produced a significant reduction in pain of the patients (p < 0.05). Their functional activities of ADL improved significantly compared with before the intervention (p < 0.05). It has been shown that the quadriceps femoris flexibility exercise intervention program increased significantly the knee flexion range of motion, and extension torque, as well as an increase in performance of functional activities of ADL of the patients. Thus, the quadriceps femoris flexibility exercise should be considered as one of the therapeutic exercises for the elderly patients with degenerative knee arthritis applied.