Effects of physical exercise on muscle function of the knee, pain and quality of life in postmenopausal women with knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Objective of this study was to investigate the effects of physical exercise on muscle function of the knee, pain and quality of life in postmenopausal women with knee osteoarthritis (OA). An electronic search was conducted of the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, LILACS and PEDro databases for relevant articles published up to September 2023. Only randomized clinical trials with interventions involving physical exercise of any modality in postmenopausal women with knee OA were included. This review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and the Cochrane Recommendations. Methodological quality of the studies selected was assessed using the PEDro scale and the evidence was synthesized using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation scale. Among the 169 articles identified, five were included in the present systematic review and enabled meta-analysis of the outcomes physical function, pain and stiffness. The findings demonstrated the effectiveness of physical exercise in improving physical function, assessed through the Six-Minute Walk Test and the WOMAC scale's physical function domain, compared to the control group. However, no significant differences were observed in pain or stiffness outcomes between the treatment and control groups. Unfortunately, insufficient data precluded a meta-analysis for knee muscle function and quality of life outcomes. Despite the potential of physical exercise to enhance physical function in postmenopausal women with knee OA, the study highlights a lack of standardization in assessment tools and tests, limiting the feasibility of meta-analysis. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42022316476.