Effects of Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy in Chronic Stroke Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Pilot Study.
10.5535/arm.2016.40.5.862
- Author:
Sung Jun CHO
1
;
Ja Ryung YANG
;
Hee Seung YANG
;
Hea Eun YANG
Author Information
1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. yangmary429@gmail.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
High-energy shock waves;
Knee osteoarthritis;
Stroke;
Ultrasonography;
Pain
- MeSH:
Cartilage;
High-Energy Shock Waves;
Humans;
Joints;
Knee*;
Osteoarthritis, Knee*;
Pilot Projects*;
Stroke*;
Tibia;
Ultrasonography;
Visual Analog Scale;
Walking
- From:Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine
2016;40(5):862-870
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) on pain, function, and ultrasonographic features of chronic stroke patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: A total of 18 chronic stroke patients (33 knee joints) with unilateral or bilateral knee OA (Kellgren-Lawrence grade ≥1) were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomly allocated to an experimental group receiving ESWT (n=9) or a control group receiving sham ESWT (n=9). For the ESWT group, patients received 1,000 pulses weekly for 3 weeks, totaling to an energy dose of 0.05 mJ/mm² on the proximal medial tibia of the affected knee. The assessments were performed before the treatment, immediately after the first treatment, and 1 week after the last treatment using the following: the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain; patient perception of the clinical severity of OA; the Korean version of Modified Barthel Index (ambulation and chair/bed transfer); the Functional Independence Measure scale (FIM; bed/chair/wheelchair transfer, toilet transfer, walking, and stairs); and ultrasonographic features (articular cartilage thickness, Doppler activity, and joint effusion height). RESULTS: The experimental group showed a significant improvement in VAS score (4.50±1.87 to 2.71±1.38) and patient perception of the clinical severity of OA (1.87±0.83 to 2.75±0.46). The bed/chair/wheelchair transfer components of the FIM score also improved significantly (4.12±1.55 to 4.62±1.30). In terms of the ultrasonographic features, increased Doppler activity was observed in the medial knee in the experimental group immediately following ESWT. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that ESWT may reduce pain and improve function in chronic stroke patients with OA, and may increase vascular activity at the target site.
