The effect of transcranial direct stimulation as an add-on treatment to conventional physical therapy on pain intensity and functional ability in individuals with knee osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of adding transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to conventional physiotherapy treatment (PT) on pain and performance of individuals with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). METHODS: Eighty people suffering from chronic KOA participated in this study. They were randomly divided into four treatment groups, including PT combined with tDCS over the primary motor cortex (M1), PT combined with tDCS over the primary sensory cortex (S1), PT combined with tDCS over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and PT combined with sham tDCS. A visual analog scale (VAS) for pain intensity, the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaire for knee-related disability, and several performance tests (stepping 15 s, chair stand test in 30 s, and walking 4 × 10 m) were used for assessment following 10 sessions of tDCS (T1), and one month after the last session of tDCS (T2). RESULTS: Differential effects on pain intensity, knee-related disability, and performance were found between groups. Compared to sham tDCS: (i) tDCS over M1 improved VAS pain score, KOOS disability score, and performance tests at T1 and T2; (ii) tDCS over S1 improved VAS pain score at T1 and T2 and KOOS disability score and performance tests at T2; (iii) tDCS over the DLPFC improved VAS pain score at T1 and performance tests at T1 and T2. CONCLUSION: tDCS could be a beneficial add-on treatment to conventional PT for pain relief, disability reduction and functional improvement in patients with KOA.

Effects of Medial Thrust Gait on Lower Extremity Kinetics in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Medial thrust (MT) gait is a nonsurgical approach for reducing the knee adduction moment (KAM) in patients with knee osteoarthritis. However, its usefulness is indeterminate due to scarcity of research about changes in lower extremity kinetics and the ground reaction force (GRF) which have been investigated in this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients (6 males, 14 females, age: 56.2±6.2 years) with medial knee osteo-arthritis participated in this cross-sectional study. A 12-camera motion analysis system and two force plates recorded kinematic and GRF data while participants walked barefoot along a 12m path with 1) their regular gait pattern and 2) MT gait pattern. The first peak adduction and flexion moments of the hip, knee, and ankle, and the sagittal and frontal GRF were measured. The center of pressure (CoP) location in the mediolateral direction at first KAM peak was also determined. RESULTS: MT gait significantly reduced the first KAM peak (mean difference= 169.7, p<0.001) and the hip flexion moment (mean difference: 82.6, p= 0.020) compared to normal gait. The mediolateral CoP significantly shifted laterally during MT gait compared to normal gait (mean difference: -12% foot width, p<0.001). There was no significant difference in other kinetics variables between the two gait patterns (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: 1. Our findings show that MT gait can reduce the KAM with no significant increase in the GRF and other lower extremity moments. 2. The results suggest that the reduced KAM associated with MT gait is caused by a lateral shift of the CoP, resulting in a reduced GRF moment arm.

Effects of an Exercise Therapy Targeting Knee Kinetics on Pain, Function, and Gait Kinetics in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

In this study, the effects of an exercise therapy comprising yoga exercises and medial-thrust gait (YogaMT) on lower-extremity kinetics, pain, and function in patients with medial knee osteoarthritis were investigated. Fifty-nine patients were randomly allocated to three treatment groups: (a) the YogaMT group practiced yoga exercises and medial thrust gait, (b) the knee-strengthening group performed quadriceps- and hamstring-strengthening exercises, and (c) the treadmill walking group practiced normal treadmill walking in 12 supervised sessions. The adduction and flexion moments of the hip, knee, and ankle; pain intensity; and 2-min walking test were assessed before and after treatment and at 1-month follow-up. The YogaMT group experienced a significant reduction in knee adduction moment. All groups showed significant improvement in pain and function. The YogaMT may reduce medial knee load in patients with knee osteoarthritis in the short term. A larger clinical trial is required to investigate the long-term outcomes of this intervention.