Effects of muscle energy technique along conventional physical therapy after mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in knee osteoarthritis patients.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of muscle energy technique (MET) in combination with conventional physical therapy compared to conventional physical therapy alone following mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients. METHODS: A randomized clinical trial was conducted at the Institute of Regenerative Medicine (IRM), Islamabad, Pakistan, for a time duration of 11 months from September 2022 to July 2023. Using non-probability purposive sampling, patients were randomly allocated to two treatment groups. Three treatment sessions per week for two weeks, lasting thirty minutes each, were administered with follow-up after one month. Numerical Pain Rating Scale, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index, ROM, were used to assess the Pain, functional status, and Range of motion. Within Group-Analysis was done using Friedman with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, while Mann-Whitney U-tests determined inter-group differences. RESULTS: With-in Group-Analysis, showed statistically significant (p<0.05) at baseline, after one week, after two weeks, and after one month follow up in both the muscle energy technique (MET) Group-And conventional therapy group for NPRS, KNEE FLEXION ROM, and WOMAC. Between-Group-Analysis, also showed significant (p<0.05) for knee pain and WOMAC scores. CONCLUSIONS: Both groups are effective for improving knee pain, and functional limitation in knee osteoarthritis patients. However, MET Group along with conventional therapy showed marked effects on improving knee pain, knee flexion ROM, and functional limitations after mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in knee osteoarthritis patients.