[Effectiveness of microcurrent therapy as a constituent of post-hospital rehabilitative treatment in patients after total knee alloarthroplasty - a randomized clinical trial].
OBJECTIVE
This trial compared the clinical effectiveness of a combination of microcurrent therapy (M) with conventional postoperative physiotherapy treatment versus the combination of the latter with a sham (S) treatment after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in terms of patient-related functional outcome parameters.


METHODS
A total of 78 inpatients after TKA was randomized into the active versus the sham treatment samples; all patients received ten applications of their respective therapy assignment. The primary clinical endpoint of the investigation was defined as the three-months intraindividual change (%) in a patient's OSWESTRY total function score after start of treatment. Secondary endpoints were the WOMAC osteoarthritis index as well as a patient's pain profile as assessed by a visual analogue scale before start of treatment, after five and ten therapeutic applications, and three months after discharge from hospital.


RESULTS
The M sample showed a median increase of 31% (22-38%) in the OSWESTRY total score from 53% before start of treatment to 91% three months afterwards; the control sample showed an increase of 18% (3-31%) in median from 56 % to 78%; the samples differed significantly in this three-months increase (p<0,001) but not in the baseline OSWESTRY score before start of treatment (p=0,841).


CONCLUSIONS
This randomized trial could demonstrate statistically significant superiority of microcurrent therapy embedded in conventional postoperative rehabilitation treatment after TKA versus the combination with a sham treatment. The results indicate an early introduction of microcurrent therapy concepts into postoperative treatment.
Klinik Bavaria Kreischa, Orthopädie, Traumatologie und Querschnittgelähmtenzentrum. guenter.rockstroh@klinik-bavaria.de
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G
Rockstroh
W
W
Schleicher
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F
Krummenauer
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation