OSTEOARTHRITIS

INTRODUCTION

Osteoarthritis is a degeneration of cartilage structure in the joints. Epidemiological factors that

increase the risk of osteoarthritis include: joint injury, obesity, and old age. Sportsman is one of

the professional groups who are at high risk of developing osteoarthritis because in sportsmen

often overuse of joints can result in joint injury. Today, osteoarthritis management is no longer

centered on farniacologic and surgical therapy. however it tends to be combined with

physiotherapy and exercise therapy. Physiotherapy that is often done in the management of

osteoarthritis includes: (1) thermal and hydrotherapy, (2) electromagnetic therapy, and (3) manual

therapy. Exercise therapy in osteoarthritis is carried out in five stages. Phase I includes controlled

exercises while in stages II and III includes exercises that are open kinetic to chain closed kinetic.

Phase IV is focused on training to improve physical abilities. At stage V (maintenance phase)

routine exercises are carried out to strengthen joint support muscles so as to minimize the risk of

re-injury