EFFECT OF TRIGGER RELEASE ON THE PES ANSERINUS VERSUS CONVENTIONAL THERAPY ON PAIN, KNEE RANGE OF MOTION, AND FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY IN PATIENTS WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: A PILOT STUDY

Abstract

Background Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disorder characterised by progressive deterioration of hyaline cartilage, resulting in pain, restricted range of motion (ROM), and functional impairment. Knee OA is a leading cause of disability among adults, and the global prevalence of the condition rises considerably with age.[1] Although numerous conservative physiotherapy interventions have been used to manage knee OA, complete relief of symptoms is often not achieved, prompting continued exploration of adjunctive soft-tissue-based approaches such as trigger point release directed at the pes anserinus. The objective of this study is to compare, the effect of trigger release on the pes anserinus combined with exercise against conventional therapy (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS] with knee exercises) on pain intensity, knee ROM, and functional activity in patients with knee OA. Methods A total of 26 patients (n = 26) diagnosed with knee OA were randomly allocated into two equal groups of 13 patients each. Group A received trigger release on the pes anserinus combined with exercise; Group B received conventional therapy consisting of TENS with knee exercises. Both groups were treated for four sessions per week over four weeks. Outcomes were assessed at baseline (time = 0) and at the end of four weeks using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) for pain intensity, a Universal Goniometer for knee ROM, and the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) for functional activity. Results Data were analysed in SPSS version 24 using the paired t-test (within-group) and independent-samples t-test (between group), following normality testing with the Shapiro–Wilk test; significance was set at p < 0.05. Both groups showed highly significant within-group improvement across all outcomes (p < 0.0001). Conclusion Within the limitations of the study, the findings suggest that trigger release on the pes anserinus combined with exercise produced a statistically greater improvement in pain, knee ROM, and functional activity than conventional TENS-based therapy in patients with knee osteoarthritis, supporting adoption of the alternative hypothesis. Replication in larger, methodologically rigorous trials is recommended before broad clinical adoption.