Effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound combined with aerobic exercise on patients with knee osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND

The present study aimed to investigate whether the combination of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) and aerobic exercise (AE) exerts an enhanced therapeutic benefit for patients with knee osteoarthritis.

METHODS

Participants were allocated into a LIPUS treatment group, an AE treatment group, and a LIPUS combined with AE (LIPUS + AE) treatment group. Numerical rating scale (NRS) and Lequesne index were determined, and gait analysis was performed before treatment and after 12 weeks of treatment.

RESULTS

The LIPUS treatment could significantly alleviate NRS score and Lequesne index in patients with knee osteoarthritis. The AE treatment could significantly alleviate NRS score and Lequesne index, accompanied by improvement in stride length, stride speed, and total walking distance. LIPUS + AE treatment further contributed to an improvement in NRS score and Lequesne index, accompanied by improvement in stride length, stride speed, and total walking distance. At the end of treatment, the Lequesne index improvement on LIPUS + AE treatment group was greater than LIPUS or AE group, NRS score improvement on LIPUS + AE treatment group was greater than LIPUS group. The stride speed, stride length, and total walking distance improvements on LIPUS + AE treatment group were greater than either LIPUS or AE group.

CONCLUSION

The study indicates LIPUS + AE treatment is more effective than LIPUS or AE for knee osteoarthritis. LIPUS + AE promises to be a potential rehabilitation therapy for patients with knee osteoarthritis.