Effects of Herbal Poultice on Oxford Knee Score, Pain Score, Range of Motion in Patients with Osteoarthritis Patients Sadao Hospital, Songkhla Province

Abstract

     Thai traditional medicine offers various approaches to treating musculoskeletal diseases, with herbal poultices being a commonly employed method, each locality having its unique formulations. This one-group quasi-experimental research aimed to investigate the effects of herbal poultices on the severity, pain, and knee joint angle in patients with knee osteoarthritis at Sadao Hospital, Songkhla Province. A purposive random sampling method was used to select 30 participants. The data collection tolls involved the application of a cold herbal poultice to the knee joint area, comprising 15 grams of herbal medicine powder, 10 grams of additional powder, and 40 milliliters of water. The application was conducted in the morning from 8:30-9:30 in the morning, with follow-up appointments every other day, each session lasting one hour. An assessment form was utilized to evaluate the severity, pain, and a tool measured knee joint movement before and after herbal application. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Paired t-test, and the Wilcoxon matched pairs signed ranks test.

     The research outcomes indicated a statistically significant reduction in severity and pain levels among patients using cold herbal poultices, along with a notable increase in the degree of knee joint flexion (p<0.001). Consequently, the application of cold herbal knee wraps emerges as a viable option for mitigating severity, alleviating pain, and enhancing knee flexion in knee osteoarthritis patients. This approach aligns with the principles of Thai traditional wisdom in addressing knee-related conditions.