Date of Completion

2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy

Keywords

Aquatic Therapy, Osteoarthritis, Knee, Aged

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) affects the balance of the patients leading to poor postural control. According to literature, aquatic therapy is one of the utilized interventions for knee OA due to its properties that help decrease the stiffness of the muscles, improving joint mobility that leads to improvement of balance and functional ability. Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) are the most frequently used assessments for balance but some studies concluded that these should not be used as a stand-alone test due to their biases. Having said this, the study aims to synthesize evidence regarding the effectiveness of aquatic therapy on static and dynamic balance in older adults with knee osteoarthritis and to widen the knowledge of the public about the other outcome measures that can be used in assessing balance aside from the BBS and TUG Test. After a rigorous research, five articles that utilized aquatic therapy among older adults were included in this study, with balance as one of the outcomes being assessed. Results of the systematic review showed that aquatic therapy is effective in improving balance in older adults with knee osteoarthritis. There is still limited high-quality research that tackles the effectiveness of aquatic therapy with the overall balance of older adults with knee osteoarthritis. Nevertheless, the result of this study can still be used as a basis for the implementation of the plan of care in improving the overall balance of older adults with knee osteoarthritis.

First Advisor

Jeanelle Louise S. Dumalag

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