Effectiveness of Resistive Capacitive Diathermy in Patients Affected by Knee Osteoarthritis

The Effectiveness of Resistive Capacitive Diathermy in Patients Affected by Knee Osteoarthritis: a Sham-controlled Study

It is a double-blind randomized sham-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of resistive capacitive diathermy in subjects affected by knee osteoarthritis in comparison with a "sham" diathermy treatment. The resistive capacitive diathermy is a medical device supplying low (448 KHz) radiofrequencies with maximum output power of 200 W, used to reduce pain and inflammation and allowing healing processes. The sham diathermy treatment is administered with the device set on "on" but not active (not supplying energy). Each subject, randomly assigned to either resistive capacitive diathermy treatment (group 1) or sham-treatment (group 2) is submitted to a thirty minutes session, three times per week for a total of ten sessions. The outcome measures are the WOMAC scale (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index) to assess pain and physical functioning, a visual analogic scale (VAS) for pain, the femoral quadriceps strength (MRC = Medical Research Council Scale). Outcome measures are administered at baseline (T0), at the end of the treatment protocol (T1), at 1 month (T2) and 3 months (T3) after the end of treatment.

in the resistive capacitive diathermy protocol patients are administered the resistive capacitive diathermy treatment for a thirty minutes session, three times per week for a total of ten sessions

The sham treatment is administered with the resistive capacitive diathermy device set on "on" but not active (not supplying energy) with the same type of application, the same frequency and duration of experimental diathermy group

The resistive capacitive diathermy is a medical device supplying low (448 KHz) radiofrequencies with maximum output power of 200 W. It is used to reduce pain and inflammation and allowing healing processes. diathermy treatment is administered for a thirty minutes session, three times per week for a total of ten sessions.

The sham treatment is administered with the diathermy device set on "on" but not active (not supplying energy) and the treatment session has the same modalities, frequency and duration of experimental diathermy group

assessment of changing of pain and physical functioning in patients affected by osteoarthritis of lower limbs

baseline (T0), at the end of the treatment protocol (T1), at 1 month (T2) and 3 months (T3) after the end of treatment

baseline (T0), at the end of the treatment protocol (T1), at 1 month (T2) and 3 months (T3) after the end of treatment

baseline (T0), at the end of the treatment protocol (T1), at 1 month (T2) and 3 months (T3) after the end of treatment

Inclusion Criteria: Patients affected by Knee osteoarthritis established by clinical examination and X-ray in postero-anterior and lateral views Exclusion Criteria: Neurologic Disorders involving the lower limbs Systemic inflammatory disorders pace-maker implantation Severe heart disease Acute infections or bone tuberculosis Acute skin diseases History of surgery on the affected knee Cognitive or psychiatric disorders