A.N. Каrkavina - Ph.D.(Med.), Assistant Professor, Altai State Medical University, Ministry of Health (Barnaul). E- mail: karkavina@yandex.ru

Modern non-medicated treatment is a combined effect of electromagnetic radiation millimeter wave and infrared (EHF-IR therapy). Increased interest in the effects of coexisting factors due to their positive influence on the various links in the pathogenesis of the disease, a potentiating effect of each other, which is associated with activation of sanogenesis increase adaptive reactions, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, immunomodulatory, regenerative effects. EHF-IR therapy is a reasonable method for treating pathogenesis of OA patients. This is due to the ability of these preformed physical factors reduce the increased vascular tone, improve the state of the microcirculatory level of the vascular bed, thereby enhancing local blood flow, and hence trophic processes in the tissues of the knee, to accelerate the process of regeneration, providing a pronounced anti-inflammatory, analgesic effect, a positive effect on the rheological properties of blood flow velocity to minimize neuro processes to correct the state of the immune status, which explains the feasibility of incorporating EHF-IR therapy in complex treatment of patients with OA .The purpose of the study - to compare the clinical effectiveness of various physiotherapy treatments of osteoarthritis of the knee in elderly patients .We observed 90 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee (OA COP) with x-ray stage I-III, dysfunction of joints 0-II, aged 60 to 74 years , the average age of the patients was 65,1±2,5 years, of which 62 (68.9%) women and 28 (31.1%) men. The study was conducted open comparative method to form study groups and the comparison. Randomized patients were divided into two randomized groups. Study group comprised 45 patients who received comprehensive conservative treatment, including diet therapy, exercise therapy, massage the area of the knee and reflexogenic zone (lumbosacral region) and EHF-IR therapy of the proposed method. The comparison group included 45 patients treated with the same medical complex, but instead of EHF-IR therapy they held a local low-frequency magnetic therapy (MT) of the projection area of the knee. After a comprehensive treatment with EHF-IR therapy was observed statistically significant dynamics of frequency of occurrence of clinical manifestations of articular syndrome, compared with using the local magnetic therapy on the area affected joint. According to research complex conservative treatment of elderly patients with osteoarthritis of the knee with radiographic stage I-III, dysfunction of joints 0-II power using EHF-IR therapy has a more pronounced therapeutic effect compared with a similar, comprehensive therapy, but with the use of low-frequency variables magnetic fields, contributes to a statistically significant decrease in the frequency of occurrence and severity of clinical symptoms, reduce the activity of inflammation, improve the functioning of the peripheral neuromuscular system, improves the quality of life of persons in this category, and as a consequence, increase the immediate and long-term efficacy of treatment.