EFFECT OF MULLIGAN MEDIAL/LATERAL GLIDE WITH AND WITHOUT COMPRESSION/DECOMPRESSION TECHNIQUE ON PAIN, RANGE OF MOTION, AND FUNCTION ON PATIENTS WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

Abstract

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disorder characterized by cartilage degradation, joint stiffness, and functional impairment, significantly impacting quality of life. Manual therapy, particularly Mulligan Mobilization with Movement (MWM), is widely used to reduce pain and restore function. However, the additional value of integrating compression and decompression techniques into medial/lateral glides remains underexplored in clinical practice.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of Mulligan’s medial/lateral glide with and without compression-decompression on pain, range of motion (ROM), and functional ability in individuals with knee osteoarthritis.

Methods: A double-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted over six months involving 54 patients aged 30–60 years with unilateral Grade II knee OA. Participants were randomly allocated into two groups (n=27 each): Group A received MWM with compression-decompression, and Group B received MWM alone. Each participant underwent 12 intervention sessions over four weeks. Pain was assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), ROM using goniometry, and function using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). Pre- and post-intervention outcomes were compared using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank and Mann-Whitney U tests.

Results: Significant improvements were observed in both groups across all outcome measures. The experimental group showed a greater reduction in pain (NRS: 2.79±0.85 to 1.83±0.69; p<0.001), enhanced ROM (Flexion: 4.02±1.36 to 1.00±0.00; p<0.001), and improved function (WOMAC: 2.65±0.55 to 2.36±0.48; p<0.001). However, between-group analysis revealed no statistically significant superiority of one intervention over the other (p>0.05), though responder analysis indicated better clinical improvement in the compression-decompression group.

Conclusion: The addition of compression and decompression techniques to Mulligan MWM may offer enhanced clinical benefits in pain relief, ROM, and function for patients with knee OA, supporting its use in routine rehabilitation settings.