Comparison of Progressive Motor Imagery and Sensorimotor Exercises in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common arthritis, affecting more than 300 million adults worldwide. The pathophysiology of OA, which can affect all joints in the body, includes synovial inflammation, cartilage degeneration, osteophyte formation, and bone remodeling. These changes in OA, a chronic and degenerative joint disease, impair joint stability and function, causing pain. With the deterioration of the dynamic balance between production and destruction in the articular cartilage and subchondral bone, the joint becomes unable to meet the load . The knee joint is the most commonly affected joint in the body by OA; it also ranks eleventh among the leading causes of global disability. Typically, patients with knee OA experience pain, swelling, decreased muscle strength (especially the quadriceps femoris), joint stiffness, and loss of function

Therapeutic exercise, weight control in obese patients, self-efficacy and self-management programs, use of orthoses, topical and oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, intra-articular injections, radiofrequency and surgical methods are used in the management of knee OA. The primary treatment in the treatment of OA is to prefer conservative practices such as exercise and education .

Progressive Motor Imagery (AMI) is an approach in rehabilitation where the focus is on progressive brain exercise. It is an education that approaches patients with pain, activity limitation and functional loss with a holistic view within the framework of the biopsychosocial model. It consists of three components in turn: Laterality training (left-right discrimination training), motor imagery (imagining movements), and the third step mirror therapy (providing visual feedback through the mirror). Laterality (closed imagery) is the process of determining whether a limb is a left or right limb, or that the patient is turning right or left for the spine. Motor imagery (open imagery) is the patient's internal, external and kinesthetic imagining of their movements and postures. Mirror therapy (visual feedback) refers to the use of a mirror to present an inverted image of a limb, thereby tricking the brain. By following these three steps, it is aimed to sequentially activate cortical motor networks and improve cortical organization.

• The aim of our study; to examine the effects of two current treatment programs (AMI, SM training) on symptoms, functionality, balance and proprioception parameters in osteoarthritis rehabilitation.
• The study is a prospective, three arm ,randomized controlled trial. A total participant number was calculated with Gpower as 54 patients with %90 power.
• There will be 3 groups and participants will perform the exercises which included their group 2 times a week for 6 weeks, accompanied by a physiotherapist.Each group includes 18 patients.
• Evaluations will be made at the start of treatment, at 6th weeks and 12th weeks after treatment.