Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2016 , Vol 62 , Num 4

Compliance to home-based exercise therapy in elderly patients with knee osteoarthritis

Saime Ay 1 ,Deniz Evcik 2 ,Yeşim Gökçe-Kutsal 3 ,Füsun Toraman 4 ,Müesser Okumuş 5 ,Sibel Eyigör 6 ,Nilay Şahin 7
1 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical Faculty of Ufuk University, Ankara, Turkey
2 Department of Therapy and Rehabilitation, Haymana Vocational Health School, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
3 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical Faculty of Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
4 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey
5 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
6 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical Faculty of Ege University, İzmir, Turkey
7 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical Faculty of Meram University, Konya, Turkey
DOI : 10.5606/tftrd.2016.54189 Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the compliance to home-based exercise regimen by elderly patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.

Patients and methods: Between May 2012 and May 2013 year, a total of 72 patients (54 females, 18 males) over 65 years old with knee osteoarthritis admitted to the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation outpatient clinic were included in the study. The patients were given a home-based exercise program. They were recommended to perform the exercises 10 times twice a day, for a month. We evaluated the patients’ demographic data, comorbid diseases, whether they exercised previously and compliance to exercise.

Results: All patients’ home exercise program compliance was 62.5%. Males were more compliant than female patients and high education and comorbidity were also associated with poor compliance.

Conclusion: The compliance of the geriatric patients to home-based exercise program is difficult and multiple variables affect the compliance. Keywords : Compliance; exercise; geriatric