Effectiveness of the Combination of Effleurage and PNF on Reducing Chronic Knee Pain in the Elderly

Abstract

Chronic knee pain is a prevalent condition among the elderly, often resulting in decreased mobility and reduced quality of life. Non-pharmacological interventions, including massage therapy and neuromuscular facilitation techniques, have been explored to manage pain and improve physical function. Among these approaches, effleurage massage and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) have demonstrated potential benefits in pain reduction and muscle relaxation. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of combining effleurage massage and PNF in reducing chronic knee pain. A quasi-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design was employed. The study population comprised 70 elderly individuals with chronic knee pain at Kasihan II Health Center, from which 18 participants were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The intervention, consisting of a combination of effleurage massage and PNF, was administered six times, with each session lasting 40 minutes. Pain levels were assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, and the N-Gain formula to determine effectiveness. The results showed that the combination of effleurage massage and PNF significantly reduced pain levels in elderly individuals with chronic knee pain (p < 0.05), with a reduction rate of 48.43%. These findings suggest that this combined therapy is effective in alleviating knee joint pain and may serve as an alternative non-pharmacological treatment for pain management. Furthermore, effleurage massage and PNF can be widely implemented in various rehabilitation settings, including primary healthcare services.