Comparative Effectiveness of Focused Extracorporeal versus Radial Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis—Randomized Controlled Study

Nai-Yu Ko, Chih-Ning Chang, Chu-Han Cheng, Hui-Kung Yu and Gwo-Chi Hu
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Nai-Yu Ko: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Number 92, Section 2, Zhongshan North Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City 10449, Taiwan
Chih-Ning Chang: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Number 92, Section 2, Zhongshan North Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City 10449, Taiwan
Chu-Han Cheng: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Number 92, Section 2, Zhongshan North Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City 10449, Taiwan
Hui-Kung Yu: Mackay Junior College of Medicine, Nursing, and Management, No. 92, Shengjing Rd., Beitou Dist., Taipei City 11260, Taiwan
Gwo-Chi Hu: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Number 92, Section 2, Zhongshan North Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City 10449, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 15, 1-11

Abstract: Both focused extracorporeal shockwave (f-ESWT) and radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy (r-ESWT) can alleviate symptoms in patients with knee osteoarthritis, but no trials have directly compared f-ESWT with r-ESWT for knee osteoarthritis. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of f-ESWT and r-ESWT on knee osteoarthritis. Forty-two patients with bilateral knee osteoarthritis were randomly assigned to receive three sessions of either f-ESWT or r-ESWT at 1-week intervals. The patients were evaluated at baseline and at 4 and 8 weeks after the final treatment. The primary outcome was the change in pain intensity, as measured on the visual analog scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes included the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), range of motion of the knee joint, and the 6-minute walk test. At the end of 4 weeks, the VAS score was substantially reduced in both groups (f-ESWT, −4.5 ± 2.5 points; r-ESWT, −2.6 ± 2.0 points), with a greater reduction in the f-ESWT group. Both groups showed significant improvement in secondary outcomes; however, the f-ESWT group yielded greater improvement in the VAS score, WOMAC score, and 6-minute walk test. Our results showed that f-ESWT was more effective than r-ESWT in improving pain and physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Keywords: extracorporeal shockwave therapy; knee osteoarthritis; cartilage; randomized controlled study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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