Elderly Hip Osteoarthritis: A Review of Short-Term Pain Relief Through Non-Weight-Bearing Therapies.

Older individuals with hip osteoarthritis (OA) who have difficulty walking, climbing stairs, or performing daily tasks often find non-weight-bearing (NWB) exercises essential for rebuilding strength and preserving function without further stressing the joints. In addition, those with a higher body mass index (BMI) particularly benefit from NWB therapy, as it alleviates joint pressure while facilitating safe and effective rehabilitation. Thus, NWB interventions, such as manual therapy (MT) and aquatic therapy (AT), are especially critical for older adults aged 60 and above, offering pain relief and functional improvement by minimizing gravitational impact on the hip joint. This review examines the effectiveness of these approaches in managing hip OA symptoms and decreasing pain. The inclusion criteria for the study consisted of randomized controlled trials or controlled trials focused on adult patients with primary osteoarthritis of the hip joint, utilizing interventions such as MT (including thrust joint mobilizations, non-thrust/oscillatory mobilizations, and soft tissue mobilization) or AT (including hydrotherapy and water therapy), and assessing outcomes related to pain. We selected nine studies that included a total of