title: [Does transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation or therapeutic ultrasound increase the effectiveness of exercise for knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled study].
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine if transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) or therapeutic ultrasound (US) increase the effectiveness of exercise on pain, function, muscle strength and quality of life for knee osteoarthritis (OA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five patients with primary knee OA diagnosis according to American College Rheumatology criteria were sequentially divided into 3 random groups. The patients in group 1 received TENS (with superficial heat and exercise), group 2 received US (with superficial heat and exercise), and group 3 acted as controls (superficial heat and exercise). Outcome measures were included as visual analog scale (VAS), a 20-meter walking test, Lequesne index, WOMAC scores, isokinetic muscle testing, and the Short Form 36 (SF 36). All treatment groups, physical modalities were carried out for a total fifteen sessions. All of the patients were subjected to six weeks of exercise program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All of the treatment groups had significant improvement on activity VAS, 20 meter walking test, Lequesne index, WOMAC scores, and most of the sub-scores of SF36 when compared with their initial status (p<0.05). All of the treatment groups, a significant muscle strength gain in most of the angular velocity in knee extensor PT values after the treatment (p<0.05). However there was no statistically significant difference after the treatment between the all treatment groups (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All of the treatment groups were effective on pain, function, muscle strength and quality of life in patients with knee OA. Statistically significant differences could not be found between the treatment groups. The exercise program, as it is cheaper, more easily performed and efficient, may be preferable for the treatment of knee OA. It is difficult to say, TENS or US could increase the effectiveness of isokinetic exercise for pain, function, muscle strength and quality of life of knee OA in this study.
authors.affiliation: Ege University Medical Faculty, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Izmir, Turkey. eyigor@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eyigör
authors.forename: Hale
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karapolat
authors.forename: Uğur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ibisoğlu
authors.forename: Berrin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Durmaz
mesh_terms: D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015444:Exercise; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D016138:Walking