This study assessed the effects of a 6-week telephone based physiotherapy intervention on the pain intensity and physical function of patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA), and compared the results to physiotherapy conducted in the clinic.

Fifty randomly selected patients with knee OA were assigned to one of two treatment groups: a Clinic Group (CG) and a Tele-physiotherapy Group (TG). The CG received thrice-weekly physiotherapist administered osteoarthritis-specific exercises in clinic for six weeks. The TG received structured telephone calls thrice-weekly at home, to monitor self-administered osteoarthritis-specific exercises. Participants’ pain intensity and physical function were assessed (using Visual Analogue Scale and Ibadan Knee Hip Osteoarthritis Outcome Measure respectively) at baseline, end of two, four, and six weeks, in the clinic environment. Data were analyzed using Independent t-test and ANOVA.

The mean ages of CG (54.96±7.81years) and TG (56.04±7.40years) were not significantly different. Within group comparison showed significant improvements across baseline, and at weeks two, four, and six for both TG and CG’s pain intensity and physical function. Between-groups comparison of CG and TG’s pain intensity and physical function at baseline and weeks two, four, and six showed no significant differences.

This study demonstrated that a six-week course of structured telephone calls thrice-weekly to patients at their home, to monitor self-administered osteoarthritis-specific exercises for patients with knee OA (i.e., telephysiotherapy) achieved comparable results to physiotherapy conducted in the clinic.