Exercise therapy versus arthroscopic partial meniscectomy for degenerative meniscal tear in middle aged patients: randomised controlled trial with two year follow-up.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

 To determine if exercise therapy is superior to arthroscopic partial meniscectomy for knee function in middle aged patients with degenerative meniscal tears.

Design

 Randomised controlled superiority trial.

Setting

 Orthopaedic departments at two public hospitals and two physiotherapy clinics in Norway.

Participants

 140 adults, mean age 49.5 years (range 35.7-59.9), with degenerative medial meniscal tear verified by magnetic resonance imaging. 96% had no definitive radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis.

Interventions

 12 week supervised exercise therapy alone or arthroscopic partial meniscectomy alone.

Main outcome measures

 Intention to treat analysis of between group difference in change in knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome sc

SUBMITTER: Kise NJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4957588 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature