Arthritis means permutation or wear of joint. When begins destruction of cartilage, the joint wear is starting, until the cartilage is damaged, and articular surfaces and bones are getting closer together and the pain is intense. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of stretching exercises on rate of knee flexion in middle-aged women with arthrosis.
Methods: This research was a semi-experimental study. 24 middle-aged women with arthritis, participated in this study (mean age: 57.12±8.93 years, height: 67.85±8.52 cm, Weight: 87.66±6.47 kg) that randomly divided into experimental (N: 12) and control (N; 10) groups. After the initial tests, the experimental group performed 24 sessions of selected stretching exercises. After complete of training period, initial tests were repeated again.
Results: The rate of right knee flexion in women with arthritis increased 4% and rate of left knee flexion increase 3% after the performance of stretching program than the pretest (p=0.0001).
Conclusion: Stretching exercises significantly affect the increase knee range of motion of middle-aged women with arthritis. It is recommended that stretching exercises in rehabilitation programs of these patients should be used.