ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY VS. SURGERY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF MENISCAL TEARS: A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED TRIAL
Main Article Content
Keywords
Effectiveness, Physical Therapy, Surgery, Meniscal Tears
Abstract
Introduction: Meniscal tears, a prevalent knee injury often encountered in athletic and physically active populations, pose significant challenges in clinical management due to their impact on knee function and quality of life.
Objective: The main objective of the study is to find the effectiveness of physical therapy vs. surgery in the management of meniscal tears.
Methodology: This randomized control trial was conducted at the department of Orthopedics Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar from July 2021 to July 2022. Data were collected from 23 patients diagnosed with meniscal tears. Baseline data were collected from all 23 participants, which included demographic information, medical history, and details regarding the severity and characteristics of their meniscal tears, confirmed via MRI. Each participant was then randomly assigned to either the physical therapy group (Group A) or the surgical intervention group (Group B).
Results: The study evaluated 23 patients, divided into two groups: 12 patients in the physical therapy group (Group A) and 11 patients in the surgical intervention group (Group B). The study included 23 patients, with 12 in the physical therapy group and 11 in the surgery group. At baseline, both groups had similar pain levels, with Group A (physical therapy) having an average VAS score of 7.5 and Group B (surgery) having a score of 7.3. By 6 weeks, pain levels had decreased to 4.2 in Group A and 3.8 in Group B (p=0.32). At 12 weeks, further reductions were observed, with Group A at 2.1 and Group B at 1.9 (p=0.45).
Conclusion: It is concluded that both physical therapy and surgical intervention are effective in managing meniscal tears, providing significant pain reduction, functional improvement, and high patient satisfaction.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
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Farman Ullah
Registrar Orthopedics, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar
Asif Nawaz
Registrar Orthopedics, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar
Murad Ali
Registrar Orthopedics Ward, Saidu Hospital, Swat
Baqir Hussain
Assistant Professor, MTI, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar
Sohail Rehman
Consultant Paediatric, Orthopedic Surgeon
Yousaf Gul
Assistant Professor, GMC, DHQ Teaching Hospital, DI Khan
Muhammad Shabir
Registrar Orthopedics Ward, Saidu Hospital, Swat