Year: 2026 | Month: April | Volume: 13 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 83-89
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20260408
Effects of Retrowalking and Vastus Medialis Oblique Training on Geriatric Population with Knee Pain at Tertiary Hospital - An Observational Study
Dr. Sumathi G1, Dr. Praveena R2, Dr. Ramamoorthy V3
1,2,3Department of PMR, PSG Hospitals, Coimbatore, India.
Corresponding Author: Dr. Sumathi G.
ABSTRACT
Background: Knee pain is a common musculoskeletal problem among the geriatric population and significantly affects mobility, functional independence, and quality of life1. Weakness of the vastus medialis oblique (VMO) muscle and altered gait mechanics contribute to pain, reduced range of motion, and functional limitations2. Retrowalking has recently gained attention as a low-impact rehabilitation strategy that may reduce joint stress while improving muscle activation and proprioception3. However, evidence on the combined effect of retrowalking and VMO strengthening in elderly individuals with knee pain remains limited.
Objective: To evaluate the effects of retrowalking combined with vastus medialis oblique muscle training on knee pain and knee joint range of motion in the geriatric population.
Methods: An observational study was conducted among 38 participants aged 61–80 years with knee pain and reduced knee range of motion, recruited from the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at a tertiary care hospital. Participants underwent a rehabilitation protocol consisting of 5 minutes of retrowalking with intermittent rest and 30 minutes of VMO muscle strengthening exercises, five days per week for three weeks. Knee pain was assessed using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), and knee joint range of motion was measured using goniometry before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using the paired t-test.
Results: Post-intervention analysis demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in knee pain scores and a significant improvement in knee joint range of motion compared to baseline values (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: The findings suggest that retrowalking combined with VMO muscle training is an effective, low-cost, and feasible intervention for reducing pain and improving knee joint mobility in the geriatric population with knee pain.
Keywords: Retrowalking, Vastus Medialis Oblique, Knee Pain, Geriatric Population, Range of Motion
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