Magnetic Field Therapy Versus Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve-stimulation in Knee Osteoarthritis

University Tunis El Manar60 enrolled

Overview

The effectiveness of PEMF in improving physical function among Osteoarthritic (OA) patients remains a topic of debate, leading to the American College of Rheumatology not yet endorsing its use in OA treatment. Therefore, it's essential to investigate PEMF therapy's efficacy in alleviating joint pain, stiffness, and enhancing physical function in knee OA patients Our study objectives were to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of PEMF therapy and to compare its efficacy with TENS in knee OA management.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Knee Osteoarthritis

Interventions

comparing efficacy of TENS and PEMF in knee osteoarthritisDEVICE

Sessions will be conducted by a physiotherapist from the center, trained in the technique.Three sessions per week for three weeks. We used an Automatic Program (approximately 20 minutes). For each group, the physical therapy was given as below: G2: Patients treated with magnetotherapy: -Device used: a prototype of a Health magnetic therapy (H.M.T) generator developed by a group of engineering researchers at the University of Tunis El Manar, employing low-frequency electromagnetic waves. The chosen program is "Analgesia". An applicator containing magnets will be placed on the affected knees. The patient will sit on a chair bending knees. G1 : Patients treated with TENS -Device used: TENS from ECO2 from Schwa Medico, 2016, France. We chose the "Gate control" program (high frequency). The patient will sit with bent knees on a chair and adhesive patches will be placed on the affected knee. The intensity will be adapted to the patient's tolerance in both groups.

Eligibility

Sex: ALL

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * We included patients who had knee pain due to knee OA diagnosed according to the American College of Rheumatology including: * Knee pain AND presence of at least three of the following 6 criteria: * Age \> 50 years * Morning stiffness \< 30 minutes * Crepitus during movement * Periarticular bone pain * Periarticular bone hypertrophy * Absence of increased local warmth. Exclusion Criteria: * For both groups, we did not include: * Patients with a pacemaker, implantable defibrillator, cochlear implant, or any metal implant contraindicating MRI (knee prosthesis, hip prosthesis, etc.). * Pregnant women * Patients with an active infection * Profound hypoesthesia or thermoalgic sensitivity disorder * Poorly vascularized areas: arteritis, phlebitis, ischemia * Patients on anti-vitamin K treatment or with a coagulation disorder. Patients with long-term corticosteroid therapy or having a total knee replacement, those who have received therapies for knee osteoarthritis including intra-articular corticosteroid injection or viscosupplementation in the last 4 months, and Patients with knee pain of non-osteoarthritic origin were also not included in the study.

Locations (1)

Military Hospital of Tunis

Tunis, Tunisia

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