1. Effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation combined with exercises versus an exercise program on the pain and the function in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial.
- Author
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Mizusaki Imoto A, Peccin S, Gomes da Silva KN, de Paiva Teixeira LE, Abrahão MI, and Fernandes Moça Trevisani V
- Subjects
- Aged, Australia, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Osteoarthritis, Knee pathology, Osteoarthritis, Knee rehabilitation, Pain pathology, Pain Management, Electric Stimulation Therapy, Exercise Therapy, Osteoarthritis, Knee therapy, Pain rehabilitation
- Abstract
Objectives: To investigate the effect of 8 weeks of NMES + Ex (neuromuscular electrical stimulation combined with exercises) on pain and functional improvement in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) compared to exercise (Ex) alone., Design: Randomized controlled trial., Setting: A specialty outpatient clinic., Participants: Patients (N = 100; women = 86, men = 14; age range, 50-75 years) with knee OA., Interventions: Participants were randomly assigned to NMES + Ex or Ex group., Outcome Measures: Numerical Rating Scale 0 to 10 (NRS) and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test were the primary outcomes. The secondary outcomes used were the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC)., Results: Following the interventions, a statistically significant improvement in both groups was observed in all outcomes assessed. For the comparison between the groups, no statistically significant difference was found between the NMES + Ex and the Ex groups in NRS (P = 0.52), TUG test (P = 0.12), and aspects of WOMAC: pain (P = 0.26), function (P = 0.23), and stiffness (P = 0.63)., Conclusion: THE addition of NMES to exercise did not improve the outcomes assessed in knee OA patients. This study was registered at the Australian Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN012607000357459).
- Published
- 2013
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