Article

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of radial extracorporeal shock wave
therapy (rESWT) for disabling pain due to primary knee osteoarthritis. DESIGN:
Randomized, placebo-controlled trial (level of evidence, 1). SUBJECTS: A total of
105 women with disabling pain due to primary knee osteoarthritis lasting for a
mean of 103 months (range 3-480 months). METHODS: Patients received either rESWT
(3 sessions, each one week apart, 2,000 rESWT impulses per session, positive
energy flux density 0.10-0.16 mJ/mm2) or placebo treatment. Primary outcome
measure was pain on movement 3 months after the final treatment session.
Secondary outcomes were pain, stiffness and limitations in physical function on
the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) Index and
the level of tolerance to pressure over muscles, tendons, ligaments and skin at
both the treated and the untreated side at 1 week and 3 months follow-up
examinations. RESULTS: Compared with placebo treatment, rESWT led to a
statistically significant improvement only in mean WOMAC scores for pain and a
few of the pressure measurements. CONCLUSION: rESWT, as performed in the present
study, is not efficient for treating patients with disabling pain due to primary
knee osteoarthritis. Published data indicate that substantially higher energy
flux densities are necessary for treatment success in this condition.

Langue : ANGLAIS