Effect of therapeutic exercise on knee osteoarthritis after intra-articular injection of botulinum toxin type A, hyaluronate or saline: A randomized controlled trial.

[OBJECTIVE] To study the effect of therapeutic exercise on knee osteoarthritis after injection of botulinum toxin type A, hyaluronate or saline.

[METHODS] Sixty participants with knee osteoarthritis were randomly assigned to 3 groups: injection of saline (control) (group A), botulinum toxin type A (group B), or hyaluronate (group C). All participants received therapeutic exercise. Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index questionnaire score, visual analogue scale pain scale, and Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Health Survey were conducted at baseline, and at the end of the 4th and 8th weeks.

[RESULTS] At end of the 4th and 8th weeks, the scores on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index questionnaire and visual analogue scale were higher in the control group. There were significant differences in Physical Component Summary-36 and Mental Component Summary-36 scores between the 3 groups (p <0.05) at the end of the 4th and 8th weeks, but not between groups A (control) and C (hyaluronate) at the end of the 4th week. No changes were seen on magnetic resonance imaging and X-ray images of the affected knees after the intervention.

[CONCLUSION] Therapeutic exercise plus botulinum toxin type A or hyaluronate injection can significantly reduce pain and improve knee functioning. Botulinum toxin type A plus therapeutic exercise appears to be more effective.