Study on massage and aromatherapy for knee osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease, and non-drug treatment approaches are increasingly becoming the focus of research. The aim of this study conducted by Ali Hasanpour-Dehkordi et al. was to compare the effects of aromatherapy and massage therapy on knee pain, morning stiffness, daily functioning and quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

In this clinical trial, 93 patients at the Imam Ali Hospital Physiotherapy Clinic were randomly divided into three groups: Massage therapy, aromatherapy and control group. Data was collected using a questionnaire on demographic characteristics and the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). The surveys were conducted before the intervention and after the 5th and 10th therapy sessions. SPSS 20 and various statistical tests (Chi-square test, Fisher's Exact Test, ANOVA, Tukey post-hoc test) were used to analyze the data.

Symptoms and joint dryness improved significantly in the aromatherapy group after the 5th and 10th session compared to the control group. The massage therapy group had the highest pain scores at the beginning, but showed the greatest reduction in pain after the 10th session. Everyday functioning improved significantly in the aromatherapy group after the 5th and 10th sessions compared to the control group. Both aromatherapy and massage therapy led to significant improvements in the areas of exercise, sport and leisure activities compared to the control group. There were no significant differences between the groups in the quality of life assessment at any time.

Both massage therapy and aromatherapy are effective non-drug approaches for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. The study recommends continuing these interventions for at least six months to achieve long-term effects.