Knowledge and utilization of manual therapy in the management of knee osteoarthritis by physical therapists in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe knowledge and utilization of manual therapy in treating knee osteoarthritis (OA) may help explain the effective utilization of manual therapy for managing knee OA. Little is known about the knowledge and utilization of manual therapy in the management of knee OA by physical therapists (PTs) in Saudi Arabia. The present study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and utilization of manual therapy by PTs in Saudi Arabia via a survey method.MethodsA cross-sectional study design was used. PTs working in various hospitals in Saudi Arabia participated. A 29-item questionnaire was developed based on previous studies. One hundred ninety-seven participants returned the completed questionnaire (response rate, 78.8%). Descriptive statistics were utilized to summarize and present the study participants' characteristics and responses.ResultsApproximately one-third (35.2%) of the participants did not receive any formal manual therapy training, whereas the others received formal manual therapy training in undergraduate (23.8%) or postgraduate (40.9%) studies. Only approximately one-third of the participants (29.9%) were qualified as certified manual therapy practitioners. Most participants (57%) reported using manual therapy according to the patient's condition. Most of the participants cited several treatment goals for manual therapy, including pain reduction (84.8%), improved range of motion (77.2%), increased mobility (58.2%), and improved function (55.4%).ConclusionsPTs in Saudi Arabia showed a positive attitude toward using manual therapy for treating knee OA. However, they suggested combining exercise and manual therapy as the best treatment option for knee OA.Trial registrationNot applicable.