A study to assess the effect of Isometric Exercises on Pain Perception, functional mobility and Anxiety of old age people with Osteoarthritis in selected old age Homes at Coimbatore

A Study to assess the Effect of Isometric Exercises on Pain Perception, Functional Mobility and Anxiety of Old Age People with Osteoarthritis in selected old age homes at Coimbatore. The main aim of the study was to test the hypothesis whether isometric exercises makes any difference in the degree of pain and level of functional mobility and anxiety in old age people with Osteoarthritis. A non equivalent quasi experimental pre test – post test control group design was used. Thirty males with Osteoarthritis from two selected old age homes were selected, 15 were assigned to experimental and 15 to control group. The experimental group was taught isometric exercises. They practice the exercises every day 15 minutes for 20 days in the presence of the investigator. Pre and post intervention assessment of pain was done using a numerical pain intensity scale and level of functional mobility and anxiety by using a four point rating scale. The data was analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Major findings of the study were that 73.3 percent of the old age people were partially dependent before the intervention and 73.3 percent were independent after the intervention. In the control group 66.7 percent of the samples who were partially dependent continued to have the same level of functional mobility after 20 days. Before intervention there was no significant difference in the functional mobility of the two groups. After the intervention the functional mobility of the experimental group significantly improved (mean score= 16.9) compared to control group (mean score 14.8) (t= 2.9*, df – 28, p= 0.010). There was no significant difference between the mean pain score of experimental( 5.8 ) and control group ( 6 ) before the intervention (t = 0.35 at df= 28, p= 0.0). After the intervention there was significant difference between the mean pain score of experimental group (m = 3.4) and control group (m= 6) (t= 3.9 at df – 28, p = 0.01). There was no significant difference between the mean score of anxiety in experimental and control group before the intervention ( t= 1.9 at df - 28, p = 0.01). ii After the intervention the level of anxiety reduced in the experimental group (mean score = 8.7) compared to control group (mean score = 12.5) (t= 2.9 at df= 28, p= 0.01). There was a significant association between the level of functional mobility and mode of admission to the old age home (χ2 = 5.1, df - 1, p = 0.05) and also between the anxiety and education (χ2- 6.5, df- 2, p = 0.05) anxiety and mode of admission to the old age home(χ2- 7.1, df- 1, p = 0.05) There was a significant correlation between the functional mobility, degree of pain and level of anxiety (t= 11.4, df - 28, p= 0.05). This study concluded that isometric exercise had a significant effect in improving the level of functional mobility, minimizing the pain and anxiety of old age people with Osteoarthritis. ii