A mixed-methods design consisting of two phases was adopted. In Phase I, a purposive sample of 31 older Clnnese people with KOA was invited for a semi-structured interview to explore their perceptions and experiences of exercise. Five major categories emerged: typical living pattern with KOA, self-management of KOA, the practice of exercise, views about exercise, and preferences for learning exercise. The findings were used in the development of an exercise programme for this client group. / Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is prevalent in the growing older Chinese population in Hong Kong. Therapeutic exercise for KOA has strong empirical evidence of its effectiveness on reducing knee pain and physical disability in people with KOA provided that they persists in practising the recommended exercise regimen. However, few previous studies have incorporated the client's perspectives into the design of an exercise programme for promoting continual practice of exercise. This study aimed to develop a new therapeutic exercise programme and pilot its acceptability to promote continual practice for older Chinese people with KOA. / The Phase II study used both quantitative and qualitative approaches to examine participants' satisfaction with the new exercise programme, adherence to the prescribed exercises, mastering of the exercise movements and health outcomes (knee pain, stiffness and range-of-motion, physical function, muscle strength and endurance of the lower extremities, and quality of life). A convenience sample of 33 older Chinese people with KOA participated in the programme. Seven measurement tools in Chinese versions (if applicable) were used to collect quantitative data from the participants: the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), the 12-item Short Form of the Medical Outcome Study Questionnaire (SF-12), a goniometer, the Timed-Stands Test (TST), a satisfaction questionnaire, an exercise diary, and a return-demonstration performance record sheet. Six of the participants were invited for a semi-structured interview to explore their experience of the programme. / The quantitative results showed that the participants were highly satisfied with the exercise programme with a mean score of 90.15 out of 100 (SD = 8.05). Their average exercise adherence was high with a mean percentage of 91.04% (SD = 14.54) and their overall performance in mastering of the exercise movements was good with a mean score of 76.71 out of 100 (SD = 21.75). Most participants' health outcomes significantly improved at three months after the exercise programme, except for the SF-12 physical health summary score. The qualitative findings revealed four major categories: satisfaction with the exercise programme, mastering of the exercise movements, experience of the exercise's effects, and integration of the exercises into the daily routine. These findings were mainly consistent with the quantitative results of the study. / The results of this study showed that the exercise programme was acceptable to the participants in terms of satisfaction with the programme, adherence to the prescribed exercises and mastering of the exercise movements. Therefore, adopting a client-centred approach is likely to be a way forward in the development of exercise programmes for promoting continual practice of therapeutic exercise regimens by older Chinese people with KOA. / Lee, Fung Kam. / Advisers: Tak Ying Ann Shiu; Tze Fan Diana Lee; Kwok Wei Winnie So. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-06, Section: B, page: . / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 332-369). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese; some appendixes in Chinese.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative pathological condition of the appendicular joints which affects the cartilage and underlying bone. OA is relatively common in both the archaeological and clinical context, and a significant amount of research has been conducted on this osteological condition. The purpose of this thesis is to assess the incidence, demographic prevalence, and general severity of hip and knee OA in a Roman-Christian period (50 A.D – 450 A.D) population sample from the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt. The bioarchaeological sample originates from the Kellis 2 cemetery which is associated with the ancient town of Kellis. The town of Kellis is believed to have been a prosperous economic hub in Egypt, located in the Western Sahara Desert approximately 250 kilometers west of the Nile. The skeletal samples (n=135, 83 females and 51 males) was visually assessed for the osteological characteristics of OA in the hips and the knees. Joint surfaces of the hip include the acetabulum and femoral head. Joint surfaces of the knee include lateral/medial tibio-femoral compartments and the patellofemoral compartment. The ages of the individuals assessed in this study range from 19-72 years, and have been divided into five age categories which were then cross-tabulated with sex and OA incidence in order to determine demographic prevalence of OA. Findings indicate that age is a significant etiological factor of OA prevalence for both males and females. Males are afflicted by the disease significantly more than females in the hips (F: [L] 3.6%, [R] 5.9% and M: [L] 13.7%,[R] 13.7%) and also slightly more affected in the knees(F: [L] 17.5%,[R] 18.3% and M: [L] 22.9%,[R]21.3%). The acetabulum tends to be more arthritic than the femoral head for both males and females. Femoral condyles tend to be more arthritic than tibial condyles for both males and females. The patello-femoral compartment tends iv to be the most arthritic part of the knee while the medial condyles of both tibiae exhibit virtually no OA (with the exception of one individual). The joint surface observed with the highest OA prevalence is the femoral surface of the patella (F: [L] 17.5%,[R] 15.9% and M: [L] 21.3%,[R] 21.3%). The highest prevalence of OA by joint complex is observed on the left knee in males (22.9%), and the lowest prevalence of OA is observed on the left hip of females (3.6%). Both hip and knee joints have higher prevalence of unilateral OA manifestation than bilateral. Isotopic and archaeological evidence indicates that the individuals at Kellis maintained an agricultural subsistence regime, and that the males within the population may have been highly mobile migrating to and from the Dakhleh Oasis. Subsistence agriculture has its necessary physical demands which may have been a contributory factor to OA rates. Males show higher OA rates than females throughout the joints of the legs. Sexual dimorphism of OA for the hips is suggestive of sexual divisions of labor. OA of the knees lacks sexual dimorphism therefore the knee joint complex of males and females were likely subjected to similar levels of mechanical loading. It can be concluded based on the OA data that males and females exhibit similar activity, or biomechanical stress levels in the knee joint complexes. Males exhibit significantly higher pathological manifestation of OA in the hip joint complexes, indicative of higher levels of mechanical loading in the hip joint complex which can theoretically be attributed to sexual divisions of labor or perhaps terrestrial mobility