Efficacy of Physical Interventions for Knee Osteoarthritis Pain
Author Information
Author(s): Bjordal Jan M, Johnson Mark I, Lopes-Martins Rodrigo AB, Bogen Bård, Chow Roberta, Ljunggren Anne E
Primary Institution: Bergen University College
Hypothesis
What are the short-term efficacies of physical interventions for pain relief in osteoarthritis of the knee?
Conclusion
TENS, EA, and LLLT administered with optimal doses in an intensive 2–4 week treatment regimen seem to offer clinically relevant short-term pain relief for osteoarthritis of the knee.
Supporting Evidence
- 36 randomized placebo-controlled trials were included in the analysis.
- Manual acupuncture, static magnets, and ultrasound therapies did not show significant pain relief over placebo.
- TENS, EA, and LLLT provided clinically relevant pain relief compared to placebo.
- Follow-up data indicated that positive effects persisted for at least 4 weeks after treatment cessation.
Takeaway
This study found that certain treatments can help reduce knee pain for people with arthritis, especially when done correctly over a few weeks.
Methodology
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials assessing pain relief within 1–4 weeks and follow-up at 1–12 weeks.
Potential Biases
Potential publication bias due to the exclusion of non-significant results and small sample sizes in some trials.
Limitations
Some trials had small sample sizes and varied methodological quality, which may affect the reliability of the conclusions.
Participant Demographics
Mean age of participants was 65.1 years, with 69.9% being female.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
[95% CI: 2.2 to 11.6]
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website