Balneotherapy at the Dead Sea area for knee osteoarthritis

Background: Balneotherapy at the Dead Sea area has been applied in various inflammatory rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. The efficacy of balneotherapy at the Dead Sea area for the treat ment of degenerative rheumatic diseases has not yet been formally evaluated . Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of balneotherapy at the Dead Sea area i n patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the knees. Methods: Forty patients were randomly allocated into four groups of 10 pati ents. Group I was treated by bathing in a sulphur pool, group 2 by bathing in the Dead Sea, group 3 by a combination of sulphur pool and bathing in th e Dead Sea, and group 4 served as the control group receiving no balneother apy. The duration of balneotherapy was 2 weeks. Results: Significant improvement as measured by the Lequesne index of sever ity of osteoarthritis was observed ill all three treatment groups, but not in the control group. This improvement lasted up to 3 months of follow-up i n patients in all three treatment groups. Conclusion: Balneotherapy at the Dead Sea area has a beneficial effect on p atients with osteoarthritis of the knees, an effect that lasts at least 3 m onths.