Abstract
[Purpose] Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is the most common form of joint disease. It
is one of the major causes of impaired function that reduces quality of life (QOL)
worldwide. The purpose of this study was to compare exercise treatments for hamstring and
quadriceps strength in the management of knee osteoarthritis. [Subjects and Methods] Forty
patients with OA knee, aged 50–65 years were divided into 2 groups. The first group
(57.65±4.78 years) received hot packs and performed strengthening exercises for the
quadriceps and hamstring, and stretching exercises for the hamstring. The second group
(58.15±5.11 years) received hot packs and performed strengthening exercises for only the
quadriceps, and stretching exercise for the hamstring. Outcome measures were the WOMAC
(Western Ontario and McMaster Universities OA index questionnaire), Visual Analogue Scale
(VAS) assessment of pain, the Fifty-Foot Walk Test (FWS), and Handheld dynamometry.
[Results] There was a significant difference between the groups. The first group showed a
more significant result than the second group. [Conclusion] Strengthening of the
hamstrings in addition to strengthening of the quadriceps was shown to be beneficial for
improving subjective knee pain, range of motion and decreasing the limitation of
functional performance of patients with knee osteoarthritis.