A pilot study to evaluate the effects of floatation spa treatment on patients with osteoarthritis

Summary

Objective: To conduct a preliminary investigation of the effects on floatation spa therapy on quality of life in patients with osteoarthritis to see if controlled trials are warranted. Design: Uncontrolled clinical trial. Setting: Private floatation spa therapy centre. Patients: Fourteen patients with chronic osteoarthritis of the weight-bearing joints, of whom four dropped out. Intervention: Six weekly sessions of floatation spa therapy. Outcome measures: SF36, AIMS2 and MYMOP quality-of-life questionnaires. Main results: All patients improved. Differences between baseline and discharge scores showed statistically significant improvement for MYMOP, but not AIMS2 or SF-36. Conclusions: Controlled trials of floatation spa therapy for patients with osteoarthritis are warranted.