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Effects of Combined Resistive Underwater Exercises and Interferential Current Therapy in Patients with Juvenile

Ragab K Elnaggar1, Mohammed A Elshafey

  • 1From the Department of Physical Therapy for Growth and Developmental Disorders in Children and Its Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.

American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
|July 3, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Resistive underwater exercises combined with interferential current therapy significantly improved quadriceps and hamstring strength and reduced pain in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). This combined approach offers a valuable treatment option for JIA management.

Area of Science:

  • Rheumatology
  • Physical Therapy
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting children, leading to joint inflammation, pain, and reduced muscle function.
  • Traditional physical therapy for JIA often focuses on managing symptoms but may not fully restore muscle strength or alleviate pain effectively.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the efficacy of combining resistive underwater exercises with interferential current therapy in improving quadriceps and hamstring peak torque and reducing pain in pediatric patients with polyarticular JIA.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial involving 30 children diagnosed with polyarticular JIA.
  • Participants were assigned to either a control group (traditional physical therapy) or a study group (resistive underwater exercises + interferential current therapy).
  • Muscle strength (peak torque of quadriceps and hamstrings) and pain levels were assessed at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months using isokinetic dynamometry and a visual analog scale.

Main Results:

  • The study group demonstrated significant improvements in all measured parameters (quadriceps/hamstring peak torque and pain levels) after 1 and 3 months compared to baseline.
  • The control group showed significant improvements in most measures after 1 and 3 months, but to a lesser extent than the study group.
  • Statistically significant differences favoring the study group were observed between the two groups at both 1 and 3-month follow-ups (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

  • The combination of resistive underwater exercises and interferential current therapy is an effective and potentially valuable treatment modality for managing juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
  • This therapeutic approach can lead to substantial improvements in muscle strength and pain reduction in children with JIA.
  • Further research may explore long-term outcomes and optimal protocols for this combined intervention in pediatric rheumatology.
Abstract

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