OBJECTIVETo observe and assess the effect of manipulation on knee cartilaginous recovery with knee osteoarthritis (OA) by using magnetic resonance (MR).

METHODSFifty cases which were suffering from knee OA involved this retrospective study. They were matched-pairs into 2 groups according to their gender, age and severity. Treated with manipulation once a week in one year for manipulation group patients, compared with those orally use with 500 mg glucosamine sulfate (GS) three times per day. Knee cartilage MR were performed before treatment and on 3, 6, 12 months after treatment, the maximum defect diameter and volume of knee cartilage were assessed with Noyes Score.

RESULTBoth Noyes Score declined in the two groups. But Noyes Score of the manipulation group significantly decreased 6 months after treatment, the same tendency was observed just 12 months after treatment in another group. The maximum defect diameter of knee cartilage began to diminish at 3 months after treatment in the manipulation group, grew significantly at 6 and 12 months after treatment compared with before treatment. In the GS group, there was no significantly deference in the maximum defect diameter of knee cartilage between after and before treatment. The volume of knee cartilage in manipulation group was greater than the GS group at 3, 6, 12 months after treatment and significantly increased at 6 months after treatment and grew 58 percent 12 months after treatment. The volume of knee cartilage in GS group had no significantly change, though had a tendency to increase.

CONCLUSIONManipulation is effective to treatment of knee osteoarthritis by decreasing the maximum defect diameter and increasing the volume of knee cartilage.