Percutaneous Electrical Stimulation, Education and Exercise Program in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis

Summary

The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of percutaneous electrotherapy treatment with transcutaneous and placebo.

Conditions

• Knee Osteoarthritis

Interventions

OTHER

Transcutaneous electrical stimulation

A TENS (100 Hz 100 ms) current will be applied through four patches located in the knee for 30 minutes. Eight sessions will be held during a month (two per week). The distribution of the channels will be for the first channel anode in lateral anterior zone and cathode in medial anterior zone and for the second channel anode in Hoffa's fat and cathode in goose foot. Participants will be able to adjust the amplitude to a strong and manageable sensory stimulation intensity that was not strong enough to cause muscle contraction.

OTHER

Placebo stimulation

To perform the dry needling placebo, modified needles will be used according to the validation performed by Mitchell et al. 2018, since they generate more puncture sensation than normal needles, which has been shown to generate more analgesia and to be more effective as a placebo. To perform placebo TENS, the protocol established by Rakel et al. 2010 will be used, which consists of applying a TENS of 100 Hz and 100 ms for 30 seconds and then lowering the intensity during the following 15 seconds. Eight sessions will be held during a month (two per week).

OTHER

Therapeutic exercise

It consists of strengthening exercises and gradual walking. The lower limb strengthening exercises are individualized and progressive for each patient for twelve weeks. There will be eight face-to-face sessions over four weeks. And then the patient will continue with those exercises for eight more weeks. In addition, they must perform twelve weeks of progressive walking until they are walking at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week at a moderate intensity (defined as moderate shortness of breath while walking).

OTHER

Pain education

A therapeutic pain education program for patients will be implemented. There will be four 30-minute face-to-face sessions (one session per week). The objective is to change the participants' conceptualization of pain. From seeing pain as a marker of tissue damage to a marker of the body's perceived need for protection. Contents include basic structure of the nervous system, distinction between nociception and pain, peripheral and central sensitization, neuroplasticity and benefits of exercise.

OTHER

Percutaneous electrical stimulation

A TENS (100 Hz 100 ms) current will be applied through four needles located in the knee for 30 minutes. Eight sessions will be held during a month (two per week). The distribution of the channels will be for the first channel anode in lateral anterior zone and cathode in medial anterior zone and for the second channel anode in Hoffa's fat and cathode in goose foot. Participants will be able to adjust the amplitude to a strong and manageable sensory stimulation intensity that was not strong enough to cause muscle contraction.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Josue Fernandez Carnero

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Josué Fernández Carnero, PhD · Universidad Rey Juan Carlos

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

45 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-07-06

Primary Completion

2023-10-31

Completion

2024-02-29

Countries

• Spain

Study Locations