The Comparative Study of Royal Thai Massage With Herbal Poultice and Herbal Compress for Knee Osteoarthritis in Elderly Group at Nikom Sangton Eng 1 Health Promoting Hospital, Nakhon Ratchasima Province

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis is a common health problem among older adults, affecting mobility and quality of life. This study aimed to compare the effects of royal Thai massage combined with herbal knee poultice and royal Thai massage combined with herbal compress on pain, stiffness, physical function, and range of motion of the knee in older adults with knee osteoarthritis. Methods This quasi-experimental study employed a two-group pretest–posttest design. A total of 52 older adults diagnosed with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis (Kellgren–Lawrence grade 1–3) and chronic knee pain for at least 3 months were recruited and equally assigned into an experimental group and a control group (26 participants each). Both groups received 30 minutes of royal Thai massage, three times per week for 2 weeks. The experimental group additionally received a 30-minute herbal knee poultice, whereas the control group received a 30-minute herbal compress. Outcomes were assessed using the Modified WOMAC questionnaire and a goniometer for knee range of motion. Data were analyzed using paired t-test and independent t-test. Results After the intervention, both groups showed significant improvements in pain, stiffness, physical function, and knee range of motion (p < 0.001). Pain scores in the experimental group decreased from 6.64 ± 0.45 to 2.34 ± 0.34, while those in the control group decreased from 6.58 ± 0.40 to 2.22 ± 0.32. However, no statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in all outcome measures.Discussion Royal Thai massage combined with either herbal poultice or herbal compress effectively reduced pain and stiffness and improved knee mobility in older adults with knee osteoarthritis. Both interventions demonstrated comparable therapeutic effects. Conclusion and Recommendations Royal Thai massage combined with herbal poultice and herbal compress may be applied as alternative treatments for knee osteoarthritis management in primary healthcare settings. Further studies with larger sample sizes and long-term follow-up are recommended.