Comparing hot pack, short-wave diathermy, ultrasound, and TENS on isokinetic strength, pain, and functional status of women with osteoarthritic knees: a single-blind, randomized, controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the therapeutic effects of physical agents administered before isokinetic exercise in women with knee osteoarthritis.


METHODS
One hundred patients with bilateral knee osteoarthritis were randomized into five groups of 20 patients each: group 1 received short-wave diathermy + hot packs and isokinetic exercise; group 2 received transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation + hot packs and isokinetic exercise; group 3 received ultrasound + hot packs and isokinetic exercise; group 4 received hot packs and isokinetic exercise; and group 5 served as controls and received only isokinetic exercise.


RESULTS
Pain and disability index scores were significantly reduced in each group. Patients in the study groups had significantly greater reductions in their visual analog scale scores and scores on the Lequesne index than did patients in the control group (group 5). They also showed greater increases than did controls in muscular strength at all angular velocities. In most parameters, improvements were greatest in groups 1 and 2 compared with groups 3 and 4.


CONCLUSIONS
Using physical agents before isokinetic exercises in women with knee osteoarthritis leads to augmented exercise performance, reduced pain, and improved function. Hot pack with a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator or short-wave diathermy has the best outcome.
Cetin
Nuri
N
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Aytar
Aydan
A
Atalay
Ayce
A
Akman
Mahmut Nafiz
MN
D018771:Arthralgia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D012780:Short-Wave Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000295:instrumentation*