-
Study aim
-
The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the effects of fish oil supplementation and
strengthening exercises on pain relief, joint function, inflammation, and overall quality of
life in individuals with osteoarthritis.
-
Design
-
Pragmatic, community based, parallel group, double blinded, randomized controlled trial. Total 95 patients will be enrolled. Patients who met our inclusion criteria will be randomized into three groups.
-
Settings and conduct
-
Muhammad physical therapy clinic and rehabilitation center, Multan.
-
Participants/Inclusion and exclusion criteria
-
Inclusion Criteria:
Clinically diagnosed knee OA (Grade II–III, based on the Kellgren-Lawrence scale),moderate pain severity (VAS score 4–6 at baseline),able to perform exercises and follow instructions.
Exclusion criteria:
Severe OA requiring surgery, allergies to fish oil or vegetarian individuals unwilling to consume fish products, current use of omega-3 supplements or structured physical therapy for OA,significant comorbid conditions (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, uncontrolled diabetes, cardiovascular diseases).
-
Intervention groups
-
Group 1: Fish oil supplementation ( 1,000 mg fish oil capsule taken twice daily for 12 weeks.)
Group 2:Strengthening exercises (Isometric Contractions: Static quadriceps contraction held for 5–10 seconds, repeated 10–15 times per session. Isotonic Strengthening exercise: Partial squats and leg raises with incremental resistance over time)
Group 3:Combined intervention (Fish oil + Strengthening exercises)
-
Main outcome variables
-
Knee X rays;
Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scale;
Numeric Pain Rating Scale;
Pain Catastrophizing Scale;
Knee Range of Motion (goniometry);
Knee injury outcome (KOOS);
Muscle strength (dynamometer);
Quality of life (SF-36);
C-reactive protein;
Interleukin-6