Physical rehabilitation of patients with occupational diseases of the knee joints and industrial injuries

Introduction. The results of the use of therapeutic exercises in the form of Nordic walking in the patients with industrial injuries and occupational diseases of the knee joints are submitted. Studies have shown that Nordic walking helps to restore the range of motion in the affected joints, reduces the severity of pain syndrome, and has a positive effect on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

Materials and methods. During the rehabilitation of the patients with industrial injuries and occupational diseases of the knee joints, therapeutic exercises were prescribed in the form of Nordic walking in the conditions of terrenkur against the background of high aeronization of the air environment. A control group of the patients with a similar pathology underwent rehabilitation using training devices for Continuous Passive Motion (CPM)-therapy in the hall for therapeutic exercises of the rehabilitation center. Upon admission and before discharge from the center, the volume of movements in the knee joints was examined, muscle strength, respiratory rate and heart rate, arterial blood pressure level were determined, pulse oximetry was performed, and the adaptive response was evaluated according to L.Kh. Garkavi.

Results. The use of therapeutic exercises in the form of Nordic walking in the open air in the patients with industrial injuries and occupational diseases of the knee joints showed similar results with rehabilitation in closed halls, which makes it possible to use this technique instead of indoor activities.

Limitations. The study did not include patients with other occupational pathology, as well as those who did not give informed consent to this study.

Conclusions. The method of therapeutic exercises in the form of Nordic walking in the open air has shown similar effectiveness with the CPM-method in closed halls, which allows it to be preferred in rehabilitation programs for the patients with industrial injuries and occupational diseases of the knee joints in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Compliance with ethical standards. The authors were guided by the ethical principles of conducting medical researches set out in the Helsinki Declaration on Preclinical and Clinical Researches in Humans and Animals, adopted by the World Medical Association of the last revision. The study was approved by the Bioethical Committee of the Research Institute for Complex Problems of Hygiene and Occupational Diseases. All subjects signed an informed voluntary consent to medical intervention in compliance with the requirements of Article 20 of the Federal Law of 21.11.2011 No. 323-FL “On the basics of protecting the health of citizens in the Russian Federation”.

Contribution:
Filimonov S.N. — the concept and design of the study, writing a text;
Gordeeva R.V. — collection and processing of material;
Kuzmenko O.V. — collection and processing of material, writing a text;
Povarnitsina N.V. — collection and processing of material;
Semenova E.A. — statistical processing;
Logunova T.D. — editing.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: April 4, 2022 / Accepted: June 08, 2022 / Published: July 31, 2022