Several individual RCTs demonstrated clinical ly important improvements in pain and disability with aerobic exercise .
Other PT interventions demonstrated no sustained benefit .
Individual RCTs showed similar benefits with aerobic , aquatic , and strengthening exercise .
Adverse events were uncommon and did not deter participants from continuing treatment .
Low-strength evidence suggested that only a few PT interventions were effective .
BACKGROUND Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of disability .
Nonsurgical treatment is a key first step .
PURPOSE Systematic literature review of physical therapy ( PT ) interventions for community-dwelling adults with knee osteoarthritis .
Treatment of knee osteoarthritis with pulsed electromagnetic fields: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
OBJECTIVE The investigation aim ed at determining the effectiveness of pulsed electromagnetic fields ( PEMF ) in the treatment of osteoarthritis ( OA ) of the knee by conducting a r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled clinical trial . DESIGN The trial consisted of 2h daily treatment 5 days per week for 6 weeks in 83 patients with knee OA . Patient evaluations were done at baseline and after 2 and 6 weeks of treatment . A follow-up evaluation was done 6 weeks after treatment . Activities of daily living ( ADL ) , pain and stiffness were evaluated using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities ( WOMAC ) question naire . RESULTS Within group analysis revealed a significant improvement in ADL , stiffness and pain in the PEMF-treated group at all evaluations . In the control group there was no effect on ADL after 2 weeks and a weak significance was seen after 6 and 12 weeks . Significant effects were seen on pain at all evaluations and on stiffness after 6 and 12 weeks . Between group analysis did not reveal significant improvements over time . Analysis of ADL score for the PEMF-treated group revealed a significant correlation between less improvement and increasing age . Analysis of patients < 65 years using between group analysis revealed a significant improvement for stiffness on treated knee after 2 weeks , but this effect was not observed for ADL and pain . CONCLUSIONS Applying between group analysis we were unable to demonstrate a beneficial symptomatic effect of PEMF in the treatment of knee OA in all patients . However , in patients < 65 years of age there is significant and beneficial effect of treatment related to stiffness
Several individual RCTs demonstrated clinical ly important improvements in pain and disability with aerobic exercise .
Other PT interventions demonstrated no sustained benefit .
Individual RCTs showed similar benefits with aerobic , aquatic , and strengthening exercise .
Adverse events were uncommon and did not deter participants from continuing treatment .
Low-strength evidence suggested that only a few PT interventions were effective .
BACKGROUND Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of disability .
Nonsurgical treatment is a key first step .
PURPOSE Systematic literature review of physical therapy ( PT ) interventions for community-dwelling adults with knee osteoarthritis .