Study Summary

One hundred and fifty-four patients receiving high-dose glucocorticoid therapy who were at risk of osteonecrosis of the femoral head were randomized to receive a single session of high-energy focused extracorporeal shockwave therapy (n=75) or control (n=79), in addition to 6 weeks of pharmaceutical intervention (alendronate sodium; Chinese herbal medicine). Outcomes of interest included Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores and Harris Hip Score (HHS) in the left and right hips, the incidence of osteonecrosis of the femoral head, and adverse events, all measured at 3, 6 and 12 months post-treatment. Results demonstrated that high-energy extracorporeal shockwave therapy significantly improved hip function at 6 and 12 months follow-up and reduced the incidence of osteonecrosis vs. control.