Osteoarthritis, Knee, Randomized Controlled Trial
Conditions
Keywords
knee osteoarthritis, acupuncture, randomized control trial
Brief summary
Osteoarthritis of the knee is a common degenerative joint disorder in our ageing population. A combination of thermal therapy with a self-management exercise have shown a positive effect in the management of osteoarthritis of the knee. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of topical heat pack versus focal application of heat therapy at the acupressure points in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee.
Detailed description
Osteoarthritis of the knee is a common degenerative joint disorder in our ageing population. A combination of thermal therapy with a self-management exercise have shown a positive effect in the management of osteoarthritis of the knee. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of topical heat pack versus focal application of heat therapy at the acupressure points in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. A randomized control trial was conducted in 76 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, diagnosed by an experienced orthopedic surgeon. Following inclusion and exclusion selection, patients were randomly allocated to group 1 (Heat Pack) or group 2 (Thermal Gun). All patients received 30 minutes of treatment in each session, twice a week for 4 weeks. They also received an education program and taught home knee exercises. Outcome measurements were Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain intensity, muscle power, knee ROM, WOMAC and SF-12v2.
Interventions
DEVICEThermal gun
Thermal gun used a heat-generating ceramic head to apply a dual effect called heat-and-light-pressure on the acupuncture points.
OTHERHeat pack
A hydrocollator heat pack used to simulate traditional thermal therapy
Sponsors
Chinese University of Hong Kong
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Caregiver)
Masking description
Envelope
Intervention model description
Group 1: Heat pack group; Group 2: Thermal Gun group
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
40 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* male or female patients aged 40 years old or older * clinical and radiological diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the knee based on the OA Knee clinical guidelines and radiological evidence * normal skin sensation to heat, cold, pins and pricks (i.e. passed the required Skin Sensation Test) * not participating in any other clinical trial at time of this study * be able to complete the whole trial period * no cognitive dysfunction and was able to sign the consent form
Exclusion criteria
* received bilateral knee arthroplasty before this study * polyarthritis affecting more than both knee * active skin lesion * women in pregnancy or breasts feeding * received acupuncture and/or moxibustion within one month of the study * unable to comply with the study protocol
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain | Baseline | 10-scale likert scale to measure pain level visually; Minimum = 0 and Maximum value = 10, and higher scores mean a better outcome. |
| Knee range of movement (ROM) | Baseline | Knee range of movement (ROM) in the supine position using a goniometer; Numeric |
| Quadriceps and hamstrings muscle strength | Baseline | Quadriceps and hamstrings muscle strength were measured according to the Oxford Scale of Muscle Strength; Numeric |
| Western Ontario and McMasters Universities (WOMAC) | Baseline | Functional assessment with the validated Chinese version of the Western Ontario and McMasters Universities (WOMAC); Numeric |
| Short Form-12 version 2 (SF-12v2) | Baseline | Quality of life evaluation; Expressed by Physical component summary (PCS) and Mental component summary (MCS); Both numeric, The higher score the better outcome |
Outcome results
None listed