Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2012 , Vol 15, Issue 3
HOW CAN WE IMPROVE ADHERENCE TO EXERCISE PROGRAMS IN PATIENTS WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS?: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL
Sabah TÜZÜN1, Serap ÇİFÇİLİ2, Mehmet AKMAN2, Nuri TOPSAKAL3, Sibel KALAÇA4, Pemra ÜNALAN CÖBEK2
1Tercan Devlet Hasatnesi ERZÄ°NCAN
2Marmara Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Aile Hekimliği Anabilim Dalı İSTANBUL
3Marmara Üniversitesi Beden Eğitimi ve Spor Yüksekokulu, Antrenörlük İSTANBUL
4Marmara Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Halk Sağlığı Anabilim Dalı İSTANBUL
Introduction: To test the efficacy of a method which can improve compliance of osteoarthtritis patients to exercise treatment.

Materials and Method: This is a randomized controlled, intervention study. Sixty-four patients who applied to the Family Medicine outpatient clinic of Marmara University Hospital were enrolled. Half of the paticipants were allocated randomly to the intervention group(IG) and the other half to the control group (CG). The study period was 12 weeks. IG was given leaflets and gradual exercise training by demonstration. CG received leaflet about exercises. We assessed participitans' adherence with patients' diaries and telephone contact. We determined WOMAC scores of the participants at each follow-up visit.

Results: Of the participants 98.4% were women. Mean age was 56.8±9.27 in the IG and 52.4±10.0 in the SCG. Adherence to exercise in the IG was high (median 100%). Pain and WOMAC scores improved significantly [chronologically 43.5 (25.7–50.25), 18.5 (10.5–27.75), 16.5 (9.0–25.0), 9.5 (5.0–18.0)(p=0.0001)]. Although exercise adherence of the SCG was good initially, long-term adherence was only moderate (respectively 72.5 (55.0–97.5) and 55 (25.0–85.0)(p=0.036). Improvement of pain and WOMAC score in the SCG was lower than the IG [respectively 36.0 (23.5–42.25), 31.5 (21.25-46.25), 27.0 (15.25–39.0)(p=0.037)].

Conclusion: Gradual exercise education with demonstration might improve adherence. Keywords : Patient Education as Topic; Patient Compliance; Exercise Therapy; Counseling