title: The effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy on the pain and function of patients with degenerative knee arthritis.
abstract: [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy on the pain and function of patients with degenerative knee arthritis. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty patients with degenerative knee arthritis were divided into a conservative physical therapy group (n=10) and an extracorporeal shock wave therapy group (n=10). Both groups received general conservative physical therapy, and the extracorporeal shock wave therapy was additionally treated with extracorporeal shock wave therapy after receiving conservative physical therapy. Both groups were treated three times a week over a four-week period. The visual analogue scale was used to evaluate pain in the knee joints of the subjects, and the Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index was used to evaluate the function of the subjects. [Results] The comparison of the visual analogue scale and Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores within each group before and after the treatment showed statistically significant declines in scores in both the conservative physical therapy group and extracorporeal shock wave therapy group. A group comparison after the treatment showed statistically significant differences in these scores in the extracorporeal shock wave therapy group and the conservative physical therapy group. [Conclusion] extracorporeal shock wave therapy may be a useful nonsurgical intervention for reducing the pain of patients with degenerative knee arthritis and improving these patients' function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Science, Graduate School, Daegu University, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, U1 University, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sangyong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Taegu Science University, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: SeokJoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Graduate School, Deajeon University, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon-Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, The Kang Hospital, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kwansub
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Degenerative knee arthritis; Extracorporeal shock wave therapy; Pain