Immediate Effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation on Pain and Physical Performance in Individuals With Preradiographic Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2019 Feb;100(2):300-306.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2018.08.189. Epub 2018 Oct 11.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on knee pain and comprehensive physical function in preradiographic knee osteoarthritis.

Design: A single, participant-blinded, randomized controlled trial (RCT) with pre-post design.

Setting: University research laboratory.

Participants: Patients with knee pain belonging to Kellgren-Lawrence grade 0 or 1 (N=50; aged 50-69y) were randomly assigned to the TENS (n=25) and sham-TENS groups (n=25).

Interventions: All participants wore the TENS device under the patella of the symptomatic knee. After measurement, the TENS devices in the TENS group were turned on, and those in the sham-TENS group were not connected.

Main outcome measures: The primary outcome measures included the stair climb test, timed Up and Go (TUG) test, 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and knee pain evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS) for stair climb test, TUG test, and 6MWT. Secondary outcomes included knee extensor strengths and the 2-step test and stand-up test from the locomotive syndrome risk test.

Results: Multiple regression analysis revealed that TENS intervention significantly improved the walk distance and VAS score of the 6MWT, after adjusting for premeasurement data (distance; P=.015, VAS; P=.030).

Conclusions: Use of TENS improved the VAS score for pain and the distance walked in the 6MWT for individuals with Kellgren-Lawrence grade 0 or 1 of the knee. Thus, TENS may be effective for long-distance walking in patients with preradiographic knee osteoarthritis.

Keywords: Osteoarthritis, knee; Pain management; Physical examination; Rehabilitation; Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Body Mass Index
  • Disability Evaluation
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Osteoarthritis, Knee / therapy*
  • Physical Functional Performance
  • Physical Therapy Modalities*
  • Regression Analysis
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Single-Blind Method
  • Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation / methods*
  • Walk Test