Efficacy of microcurrent therapy for treatment of acute knee pain: A randomized double-blinded controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE

We would like to determine whether electrotherapy, specifically microcurrent therapy, increases function and decreases pain in people who have acute knee pain.

DESIGN

Randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

SETTING

University laboratory and patient home.

SUBJECTS

A total of 52 subjects (35 females and 17 males) with acute knee pain.

INTERVENTION

Treatment group ( = 26) wore the active microcurrent therapy device at home for 3 hours per day for 4 weeks and the control group ( = 26) wore the placebo for 3 hours per day for 4 weeks.

MAIN MEASURES

Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and Short Form 12 (SF-12) health scale were used to measure the pain level and the functionality of the participants. Secondary assessments included musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging (MSK US) and Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS).

RESULTS

A total of 52 subjects completed the study; 26 in the treatment group and 26 in the control group. Microcurrent therapy significantly reduced pain over 4 weeks. Especially week three was significant ( < 0.01) after adjusting for the family-wise error rate. The analysis on SF-12 revealed those with microcurrent therapy showed an increasing trend in the improvement of physical function score until week three.

CONCLUSION

An active microcurrent therapy device decreased knee pain and increased function. Microcurrent therapy may be an alternative or used with a pharmacological approach for people with acute knee pain.