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 .
Optimal stimulation frequency of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on people with knee osteoarthritis.
OBJECTIVE This is a double blind study that examined the optimal stimulation frequency of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in reducing  pain due to knee osteoarthritis . SUBJECTS Thirty-four subjects were r and omly allocated into 4 groups receiving transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation at either : ( i ) 2 Hz ; ( ii ) 100 Hz ; ( iii ) an alternating frequency of 2 Hz and 100 Hz ( 2/100 Hz ) ; or ( iv ) a placebo transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation . METHODS Treatment was administered 5 days a week for 2 weeks . The outcome measures included : ( i ) a visual analogue scale ; ( ii ) a timed up- and -go test ; and ( iii ) a range of knee motion . RESULTS The 3 active transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation groups ( 2 Hz , 100 Hz , 2/100 Hz ) , but not the placebo group , significantly reduced osteoarthritic knee pain across treatment sessions . However , no significant between-group difference was found . Similarly , the 3 active transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation groups , but not the placebo group , produced significant reductions in the amount of time required to perform the timed up- and -go test , and an increase in the maximum passive knee range of motion . CONCLUSION Our findings suggested that 2 weeks of repeated applications of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation at 2 Hz , 100 Hz or 2/100 Hz produced similar treatment effects for people suffering from osteoarthritic knee
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 .