The impact of different physical therapy programmes for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

The aim of the research: To establish the impact of aquatic physical therapy and indoor physical therapy for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Research tasks: 1. To evaluate and compare functional state of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in aquatic physical therapy group and in indoor physical therapy group before and after physical therapy. 2. To evaluate and compare pain intensity of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in aquatic physical therapy group and in indoor physical therapy group before and after physical therapy. 3. To evaluate and compare quality of life of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in aquatic physical therapy group and in indoor physical therapy group before and after physical therapy. Methods and research participants: questionnaires and statistical analysis. We evaluated 28 children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, they were treated in the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Clinics in the Department of Pediatrics. Patients were divided into two groups randomly: first group had aquatic physical therapy and second – indoor physical therapy. Groups were compared before and after physical therapy. Using questionnaire there were evaluated joints range of motion, distance walked of 6 min. walk test, disability index, pain intensity using VAS and quality of life questionnaire. Results were analysed using SPSS 22.0 programme. Conclusions: 1. Functional state increased for all children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis after physical therapy (p<0,05), but in aquatic physical therapy group it increased more than in indoor physical therapy group (p<0,05). 2. Pain intensity decreased for all children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis after physical therapy (p<0,05). 3. Quality of life increased for all children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis after physical therapy (p<0,05), but in aquatic physical therapy group it increased more than in indoor physical therapy group (p