Exploring the therapeutic potential of epsom salt bath on pain and intensity of knee osteoarthritis: Randomized...

Osteoarthritis is significantly linked to aging and heavy physical occupational activity, which is a necessary part of many people's daily lives, and Epsom salt baths are extremely popular among knee pain sufferers. The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Epsom salt baths in preventing pain and improving activity of daily living among elderly people with knee osteoarthritis.

The randomized controlled trial design was adopted in this investigation, with a posttest-only control group. 64 adult patients with knee osteoarthritis were included in the trial via full enumeration sampling. Selected subjects were randomly assigned to experimental (n = 32) or control (n = 32) groups via statistics and sample size software. The experimental group received Epsom salt baths for seven days, whereas the control group received standard care. The incidence and severity of pain and improving activity of daily living on the seventh day of the intervention were used to determine the study's results. The trial was registered with the Clinical Trials Registry-India (CTRI). Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) were followed. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis.

The findings revealed that the intervention was found to be effective in terms of reducing the incidence of pain and improving activity of daily living among subjects of the experimental group as compared to the control group (P < 0.001*). A significant difference was observed in terms of WOMAC score (P < .001*), KATZ score (P < .001*), and NPRS score (P < .001*).

Knee osteoarthritis is a common condition faced by the elderly population. Epsom salt reduces pain and improves the activity of daily living. Nurse practitioners must recognize the importance of Epsom salt baths and can use them as a complementary treatment along with the standard treatment to reduce suffering.