Study on complex spa therapy for patients with osteoarthritis

The treatment of patients with degenerative diseases often includes spa-based therapy programs that include spa therapies, balneotherapy and terrain therapy using microclimatic factors. The study at St Queen Jadwiga's Regional Clinical Hospital No. 2 in Rzeszow was conducted to evaluate the short- and long-term effects of spa therapy in patients with osteoarthritis of the spine treated at resort towns in Poland.

The study included 102 patients treated in resort towns, a group of patients receiving outpatient treatment (100 patients), and a group receiving no therapy (100 patients). The survey included: pain VAS and Laitinen, LISAT-9 and HAQ-20 questionnaires. The assessments were conducted three times: at the beginning of the therapy program and one month and six months after the end of the program. The short-term effects showed a statistically significant improvement in all assessment criteria in the spa group and the outpatient group. The long-term effects showed a statisticallysignificant improvement in all assessment criteria only in the spa group.

In summary, spa therapy relieves pain, improves functional efficiency and increases life satisfaction in patients with osteoarthritis of the spine. Its effects can be felt for at least six months after treatment. Spa therapy is more effective than outpatient treatments in the long term.