Article

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of magnetic knee wraps (MKWs) on joint
position sense (JPS) in individuals with mild-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis.
DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial. SETTING:
Rehabilitation clinic of a tertiary hospital. SUBJECTS:
Fifty volunteers with
mild-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis participated and 33 (66%) completed the
trial; only one (2%) withdrew due to study-related adverse effects.
INTERVENTIONS: Knee wraps with a static magnetic field (35 mT) were compared with
control knee wraps for 12 weeks. MAIN MEASURES: The main outcome measure was JPS
at first, fourth, and twelfth week while applying of the knee wrap, quantified as
the ability to replicate target knee joint angles. The secondary outcome was the
Comprehensive Osteoarthritis Test (COAT) total score. RESULTS: In the
intention-to-treat analysis with an alpha-level of 0.05, 12-week application of
the MKWs did not significantly reduce the mean absolute error (MAE) of JPS (n =
18; P = 0.627); contrarily, the MAE was found to decrease significantly after
wearing the sham MKWs (n = 20; P = 0.01). The COAT total score gradually improved
in both groups (P < 0.05). When comparing the improvement of MAE and COAT total
score at each follow-up between two groups, no significant differences were
found; the maximal difference in the improvement of MAE between two groups was
noted at week 12 (mean difference: 1.2 degrees ; 95% confidence interval -0.4 to
2.9; P = 0.144). In the per-protocol analysis, the study group showed better
improvement in the COAT total score at week 12 (P = 0.033). CONCLUSION: The 35-mT
MKWs could not significantly influence knee JPS in individuals with mild-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis.

Langue : ANGLAIS