Abstract: Objective To investigate the balance function of the knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients and the clinical value about static fallindex test and dynamic fall index test for the patients with knee osteoarthritis. Methods The osteoarthritis patients without knee pain (controlgroup, n=30) were tested with postural stability (PS), limits of stability (LOS), dynamic fall index (DFI) and static fall index (SFI). Theosteoarthritis patients with knee pain (treatment group, n=30) accepted 10 times of diclofenac diethylamine emulge imported by pulsed ultrasoundand 6 times of massage therapy. They were also tested with above four balance tests and Western Ontario and McMaster UniversitiesOsteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) before and after treatments. Results There was significant difference in overall of PS, anterior/posterior indexand medial lateral index (P<0.05) between the control group and the treatment group before treatments, and there was very significantdifference in time to complete LOS, overall of LOS and DFI (P<0.01); but there was no significant difference in SFI (P<0.05). There wassignificant difference in WOMAC scores, overall of PS, anterior/posterior index, time to complete LOS, overall of LOS and DFI (P<0.05) inthe treatment group before and after treatments, but there was no significant difference in medial lateral index and SFI (P<0.05). ConclusionCompared with osteoarthritis patients without knee pain, KOA patients with knee pain are in poorer balance function and greater fall risk.After effective treatments, the balance function and fall risk of the KOA patients may significantly improve. Compared with SFI test, theDFI test is more sensitive to the improvement of balance function of the KOA patients.

Key words: elderly, knee osteoarthritis, balance, fall