Effects of proprioceptive exercise for knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Bibliographic record
Abstract
Background and objective Despite the extensive utilization of proprioceptive exercise in the management of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), the therapeutic efficacy of this approach remains inconclusive. The present study sought to systematically evaluate the effects of proprioceptive exercise on symptoms and functional outcomes in patients with KOA, with a particular focus on balance performance. Methods Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted across six electronic databases from the establishment of the database to January 21, 2025. The inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials investigating proprioceptive exercise interventions for KOA. The primary outcome measures encompassed balance function assessment (Timed Up and Go test), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) total score and its pain, stiffness, and function subscales, and pain intensity (Numerical Rating Scale and Visual Analog Scale). Subgroup analyses were stratified by intervention duration (≤8 weeks vs. >8 weeks). Results A comprehensive analysis of 22 randomized controlled trials revealed that proprioceptive exercise significantly improved performance of the Timed Up and Go test [MD = 1.53, 95% CI (1.09, 1.97), I2 = 0%, P < 0.00001]. Additionally, a significant improvement in WOMAC-total scores was observed [MD = 3.37, 95% CI (1.58, 5.16), I2 = 44%, P = 0.0002]. However, individual WOMAC subscales for pain (P = 0.11, I2 = 85%), stiffness (P = 0.97, I2 = 0%), and function (P = 0.16, I2 = 86%) showed no significant improvements. For pain assessment, Numerical Rating Scale scores showed a significant improvement [MD = 0.85, 95% CI (0.56, 1.15), I2 = 46%, P < 0.00001]. Notably, Visual Analog Scale scores exhibited a significant reduction, but only in the short-term intervention subgroup (≤8 weeks) [MD = 0.27, 95% CI (0.11, 0.42), I2 = 0%, P = 0.0008], whereas longer interventions (>8 weeks) showed no significant benefit [MD = −0.49, 95% CI (−1.10, 0.11), I2 = 0%, P = 0.11]. Conclusion Based on low-certainty evidence, proprioceptive exercise has been demonstrated to be efficacious in improving balance function and overall clinical status in patients with KOA. Optimal benefits have been observed during short-term intervention periods.
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How this classification was reachedexpand
Full frame machine prediction
Teacher imitationNot calibrated prevalence, not ground truth. Human validation pending. The Gemma side is a direct model label for every work in the frame, read from the title-only record. The Codex side is a classifier learned from the 10,348 direct Codex labels and calibrated to design-weighted sample rates; fields without enough sample support carry no Codex call. Candidate is the union of the two sides; consensus is their intersection. These outputs are machine_predicted_unvalidated and are not human labels.
Distilled classifier scores by category (both heads)
| Category | Codex | Gemma |
|---|---|---|
| Metaresearch | 0.014 | 0.027 |
| Meta-epidemiology (narrow) | 0.003 | 0.001 |
| Meta-epidemiology (broad) | 0.020 | 0.029 |
| Bibliometrics | 0.008 | 0.008 |
| Science and technology studies | 0.001 | 0.001 |
| Scholarly communication | 0.003 | 0.002 |
| Open science | 0.002 | 0.001 |
| Research integrity | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Insufficient payload (model declined to judge) | 0.004 | 0.000 |
Machine scores (provisional)
The two teacher heads of the student model, read on this work. A score orders the frame for review; it never asserts a category, and the validation status ships verbatim with every row.
Baseline scores from an immature model (maturity gate not passed, 7 training rounds). Scores rank; they never assert a category.
score_only:v0-immature-baseline · verbatim from the scoring run: score_only means the number may rank works, and no category label ships from itClassification
machine, unvalidatedMachine predicted; a candidate call from one source (direct Gemma or distilled Codex), not a consensus.
How this classification was reached, model by model and score by score, is at the end of the page under "How this classification was reached".