Effects of intra-articular viscosupplementation on disability in subjects with OA undergoing physical and rehabilitative interventions

Hyaluronic acid intra-articular injection and exercise therapy: effects on pain and disability in subjects affected by lower limb joints osteoarthritis. A systematic review by the Italian Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (SIMFER).

Article specifications

This systematic review was published in 2016 in Journal of Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. (IF 2009:3.03) by Italian specialists. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of intra-articular viscosupplementation on disability in subjects with OA undergoing physical and rehabilitative interventions. The databases of PubMed, Medline, EMbase and CINAHL were searched for English language full-text randomized controlled trials comparing intra-articular viscosupplementation alone or associated with physical and rehabilitative interventions to viscosupplementation alone, shame treatment, waiting lists, and any type of rehabilitative interventions.

 

Results

Physical therapy agents seemed to have greater effects than intra-articular viscosupplementation on disability and pain. In the other cases both intra-articular viscosupplementation and physical and rehabilitative interventions seemed to be equally effective in improving disability, pain, and quality of life in subjects with knee and ankle OA.