Effectiveness of spa therapy on pain relief, physical function and stiffness in adults with Osteoarthritis: A narrative systematic review

Abstract

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that primarily affects weight-bearing joints like the hips and knees. Management often focuses on addressing pain, mobility, and stiffness associated with the disease. Spa therapy is an effective approach to increase blood flow to the affected joints, leading to relaxation of muscles with the potential to improve pain, physical function, and stiffness. Objectives: This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of spa therapy to relieve pain, improve physical function, and alleviate stiffness in adults with Osteoarthritis. Methods: A systematic search for studies in the English language was performed within seven databases (CINAHL, Cochrane, EMBASE, ProQuest, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) from commencement till December 2020. Risk of bias was used to assess the quality of studies. Meta-analysis could not be conducted due to high heterogeneity across the included studies. Hence, a narrative synthesis was carried out. Results: Out of 2871 studies identified, ten randomised controlled trials were included for narrative synthesis involving 1594 individuals with Osteoarthritis across six countries. Findings from this review were conclusive on the effectiveness of spa therapy. Conclusion: Spa therapy appears to have benefits on pain, physical function, and stiffness. The findings of this study suggest the potential use of spa therapy in addition to existing measures for the treatment of Osteoarthritis. Implications: To ensure reliability, future RCTs should adhere to the SPAC and Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials guidelines when conducting and reporting studies to ensure reliability.