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

Abstract EN

|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).