The Effect of Electroacupuncture on Dynamic Balance during Stair Climbing for Elderly Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis.

研究概要

Forty patients with bilateral knee osteoarthritis (OA) were randomized to receive 3 weeks of electroacupuncture or sham electroacupuncture for the improvement of pain, gait, and dynamic balance. Outcomes of interest included pain scores on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index, gait velocity, step width, hip angle, hip moment, and margin of stability. Outcomes biomechanical and dynamic balance outcomes were assessed during ascent and descent of stairs following treatment. No significant differences were observed between the two groups in all outcomes with the exception of hip adduction moment during mid stance in descent, hip internal rotation moment during toe off in descent, and anterolateral margin of stability during toe off in descent.