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

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.