Purpose: To compare the effects of the Mikhled knee exercise program (MKEP) and a gymnasium-based exercise program (GBEP) on people with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee joint. Methods: This single-blinded, randomized clinical trial was conducted in the Physiotherapy Department of King Abdullah Hospital. Elderly subjects with OA of the knee were enrolled and randomized into the MKEP or GBEP group. The sessions were conducted for 1 h twice a week for 6 weeks. Subjects randomly assigned to the

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... group performed knee extensions (pin-loaded machine), hamstring curls (pin-loaded machine), horizontal leg presses (pin-loaded machine), and bench step-ups/downs and utilized exercise bikes (variable resistance). The MKEP included 7 levels of isometric knee exercise. Each level included the same exercise, but the exercise was performed in different positions to allow for more contraction. The main outcome measures were weekly pain, health status, and quality of life, which were measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS), the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and the Short Form (36) Health Survey, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis and 2-way repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results: Twenty subjects were included in each group. The mean age, disease duration, height, and weight of the subjects included in this study were 66 ± 6 years, 7.58 ± 6.17 years, 171.08 ± 9.85 cm, and 77.56 ± 14.48 kg, respectively. Six weeks of the exercise intervention significantly improved the health status, quality of life, and weekly pain (p < 0.05) of the subjects. There were no significant differences between the groups for any of these variables. Conclusion: These findings indicate that the MKEP knee exercise program is a useful treatment for OA of the knee joint.