No abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) encompassed a large and heterogeneous number of disorders affecting joints and bones, which culminate in a joint failure. In general, OA can be defined as a degenerative disease characterized by biomechanical and architectural deteriorations of the articular cartilage. After the age of 60 years, more than 80% of the people have radiological signs of OA in the knee, and 20% of the people suffer from pain and movement limitations. Currently used pharmacologic treatments, including acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, do not slow or reverse the degenerative process in osteoarthritis. Glucosamine, a chondro-protective substance, has recently received a great deal of attention from the public as a potential treatment of osteoarthritis, prompting healthcare professionals to investigate its clinical usefulness and potential for adverse effects. Improvement in the symptoms of osteoarthritis associated with the use of glucosamine has been observed in clinical trials. The purpose of this study was to better define the efficacy of these chondro-protective agents in treating OA. The short term and long term results were evaluated with pain score, and the most importantly, we proposed to objectively evaluate the muscle strength, and the joint motion with gait and sit-to-stand analysis. These data will warrant a better understanding of the efficacy of these chondro-protective agents in treating osteoarthritic patients.