An Integrated Education and Exercise Programme for Tamil People With Osteoarthritis Knee

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Public Health
• Patient Education

Background:

• Knee osteoarthritis (OA knee) is a prevalent chronic condition causing pain and disability.
• Current guidelines emphasize non-surgical treatments including self-management, education, and exercise.
• Effective patient education is crucial for managing OA knee.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a Tamil-language patient education booklet for OA knee.
• To assess a physiotherapist-led integrated program incorporating core non-surgical OA knee care components.
• To improve clinical outcomes in Tamil-speaking individuals with OA knee in Tamil Nadu, India.

Main Methods:

• An iterative process was used to develop and evaluate the Tamil OA knee patient education booklet with 50 participants.
• A 6-week integrated program involving education and exercise was implemented.
• Clinical outcomes including knee pain, function, physical performance, and adherence were measured at 6 weeks and 6 months.

Main Results:

• The Tamil booklet was rated as easy to read, useful, and relevant by participants and healthcare professionals.
• 31 patients completed the integrated program, reporting statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in pain, function, and performance.
• The program was found to be useful, satisfactory, and led to self-reported condition improvement with no adverse events.

Conclusions:

• The developed Tamil OA knee education booklet is relevant and useful for patients.
• The integrated education and exercise program is feasible and acceptable for managing OA knee.
• Preliminary evidence suggests clinical benefits of this integrated approach for individuals with OA knee.