[Functionality/isokinetic work of quadriceps in patients with gonarthrosis managed with prolotherapy].

Background: Prolotherapy may be a good option in the complementary treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients, specifically for the increase of functionality.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of prolotherapy in OA grade II - III in the functionality and muscular work of knee flexors and extensors.

Material and methods: a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted. It included patients diagnosed with OA grades II-III. The experimental group was infiltrated in both knees with 6 ml of 25% glucose solution and 0.05% lidocaine; control group with 0.45% saline solution and 0.05% lidocaine. All patients received a comprehensive rehabilitation program. The isokinetic work of the knee flexor and extensor muscles, pain and functionality were measured, prior to infiltration and at 3-month follow-up. To compare the difference in means, the Student's T test was applied, considering P<0.05 as significant. The project was approved by the local ethics and research committee.

Results: 37 patients were recruited, 17 in the prolotherapy group. There were no intergroup differences in functionality, isokinetic knee flexor/extensor work, and pain at baseline, or during follow-up up to 12 weeks.

Conclusions: In the present study we identify that both prolotherapy and saline infiltration increased functionality, strength, and decreased pain; however, no statistically significant difference was found between the two group.