Introduction: Knee osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of the knee joint, which is usually caused by wear and gradual loss of articular cartilage. It most commonly occurs in the elderly population and is one of the most prevalent degenerative diseases causing disability in older adults. A key consequence of pathological changes associated with knee
osteoarthritis is the development of muscle weakness and atrophy, particularly of the m. quadriceps femoris, which increases joint loading and pain. Muscle strengthening usually begins with isometric exercise, as it involves simple exercises that patients can perform independently at home without the need for special equipment. Isometric exercise may contribute to pain reduction without additional mechanical loading, while also improving active range of motion, health status, and physical fitness of the individual. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to analyse, based on professional and scientific literature, the effect of isometric exercise of the m. quadriceps femoris on pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Methods: Literature was searched using the PubMed, PEDro, and Google Scholar databases with the following keywords: “knee osteoarthritis,” “pain,” “isometric contraction,” and “quadriceps femoris.” Results: Seven studies involving isometric exercises for strengthening the m. quadriceps femoris were included in the literature review. The duration of interventions ranged from 2 to 12 weeks, and the protocols differed in terms of exercise frequency, contraction duration, and the inclusion of additional therapeutic procedures. In all studies, isometric exercise resulted in a statistically significant reduction in pain in the experimental groups (p < 0.05), whereas the control groups did not show statistically significant improvements in pain. The greatest reduction in pain was observed in programmes with longer exercise duration and higher exercise frequency. Discussion and Conclusion: Based on the reviewed studies, it can be concluded that isometric exercise of
the m. quadriceps femoris has a positive effect on pain reduction and improvement of functional abilities in individuals with knee osteoarthritis. The authors suggest possible explanations for these effects, including increased muscle strength of the m. quadriceps femoris, subsequent improvement in joint stability and blood supply, as well as pain reduction due to decreased inflammation and neurophysiological mechanisms. that these effects may be explained by increased muscle strength of the quadriceps femoris, as well as potential changes in joint stabilization, blood circulation and pain modulation through
neurophysiological and inflammatory mechanisms. In the future, it would be reasonable to conduct more methodologically advanced studies with larger sample sizes, standardized exercise programs, and long-term follow-up of the effects of isometric exercise in individuals with knee osteoarthritis.
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