A community-based exercise programme for older persons with knee pain using telemedicine

We explored the feasibility and efficacy of an exercise programme for elderly people with knee pain conducted via videoconferencing. Twenty-two community-dwelling subjects aged 60 years or above with knee pain were recruited from two community centres in Hong Kong. A 12-week exercise programme, including strengthening and balance training, was given via videoconferencing to subjects at both centres, in conjunction with a home-based exercise programme. The outcome measures included the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), quadriceps muscle strength, Berg's Balance Scale (BBS) and subjects' degree of acceptance of videoconferencing. Twenty subjects completed the 12-week programme and significant improvements occurred in all domains of the WOMAC score (P < 0.003). There was a 44% and a 13% increase in quadriceps muscle strength (P < 0.001) and BBS (P < 0.001), respectively. Over 80% of the elderly subjects who joined the programme agreed or strongly agreed about all aspects of using videoconferencing. Most of them felt that the system was user-friendly and convenient. Videoconferencing appears to be a useful method of delivering a resistance-training programme for community-dwelling elderly persons with knee pain.