Investigating the Effect of Swedish Massage and Hydrotherapy on Symptoms and Motor Ability in Individuals with Knee Osteoarthritis

Comparing the effect of Swedish massage with and without hydrotherapy on pain intensity, knee range of motion, muscle strength, quality of life, and physical ability in people with knee osteoarthritis.

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

IRCT

Registry ID

IRCT20240907062968N3

Enrollment

Registered

2025-04-07

Start date

2025-04-19

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2025-07-21

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Knee Osteoarthritis.

Interventions

Intervention 1: Intervention group: The first intervention group receives Swedish massage for 8 weeks, 3 sessions per week, for 45 minutes. Intervention 2: Intervention group: The second intervention

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

Female

Age

45 Years to 60 Years

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Suffering from knee osteoarthritis with grade three from the Kellgren & Lawrence grading system (in all three groups). Having knee pain at least a three out of ten on a visual analog pain scale. General eligibility for participation in the research has been confirmed by a doctor.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: Having any contraindications for hydrotherapy, such as kidney disorders. Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Onset or worsening of pain and disability during assessment and implementation of an exercise program.

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Active range of motion of the knee. Timepoint: Before and after intervention. Method of measurement: A goniometer was used to measure the active range of motion of the knee joint in flexion and extension movements. The fixed arm of the goniometer was placed along the outer surface of the thigh, and the moving arm was placed along the fibula towards the lateral malleolus. For extension assessment, the participant lay prone on the bed with the knee in a straight position. For flexion, the participant was asked to flex the knee as much as possible, and the resulting angle was recorded.;Quadriceps muscle strength assessment. Timepoint: Before and after intervention. Method of measurement: Isometric strength of the quadriceps muscles was measured at a 90-degree knee flexion angle using a dynamometer. The participant sat on a chair, and one end of the dynamometer was connected to their ankle 5 cm above the malleolus, while the other end was fixed to the wall. The participant then performed knee extension through isometric contraction. The average of three repetitions was recorded as the final muscle strength score.;Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaire for assessing quality of life. Timepoint: Before and after intervention. Method of measurement: The standardized KOOS questionnaire was used to evaluate therapeutic outcomes in patients with knee osteoarthritis. This tool includes 42 patient-centered questions in five domains: other symptoms (7 questions), pain (9 questions), activities of daily living (17 questions), sports and recreational activities (5 questions), and knee-related quality of life (4 questions). Responses were scored on a five-point Likert scale (from 0 to 4), and the scores for each subscale were calculated as a percentage between 0 and 100; such that a higher score indicates a better condition and fewer problems for the patient. The Persian version of this questionnaire has validated validity and reliability in domestic studi	—

Measure

Time frame

Active range of motion of the knee. Timepoint: Before and after intervention. Method of measurement: A goniometer was used to measure the active range of motion of the knee joint in flexion and extension movements. The fixed arm of the goniometer was placed along the outer surface of the thigh, and the moving arm was placed along the fibula towards the lateral malleolus. For extension assessment, the participant lay prone on the bed with the knee in a straight position. For flexion, the participant was asked to flex the knee as much as possible, and the resulting angle was recorded.;Quadriceps muscle strength assessment. Timepoint: Before and after intervention. Method of measurement: Isometric strength of the quadriceps muscles was measured at a 90-degree knee flexion angle using a dynamometer. The participant sat on a chair, and one end of the dynamometer was connected to their ankle 5 cm above the malleolus, while the other end was fixed to the wall. The participant then performed knee extension through isometric contraction. The average of three repetitions was recorded as the final muscle strength score.;Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaire for assessing quality of life. Timepoint: Before and after intervention. Method of measurement: The standardized KOOS questionnaire was used to evaluate therapeutic outcomes in patients with knee osteoarthritis. This tool includes 42 patient-centered questions in five domains: other symptoms (7 questions), pain (9 questions), activities of daily living (17 questions), sports and recreational activities (5 questions), and knee-related quality of life (4 questions). Responses were scored on a five-point Likert scale (from 0 to 4), and the scores for each subscale were calculated as a percentage between 0 and 100; such that a higher score indicates a better condition and fewer problems for the patient. The Persian version of this questionnaire has validated validity and reliability in domestic studi

—

Countries

Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Contacts

Public ContactVahid Mazloum

Islamic Azad University

Vahid.mazloom@kiau.ir+98 26 3425 9571

Outcome results

None listed

Source: IRCT (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026