The effect of self-administered acupressure on pain severity and sleep quality of patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial.

研究概要

One hundred twenty-six patients with knee osteoarthritis were randomized into three groups: acupressure (n=42), sham (n=42), and control (n=42). The acupressure and sham groups applied pressure to specific acupoints daily for one month, while the control group received routine care. The primary outcome was pain severity measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and the secondary outcome was sleep quality assessed via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Follow-up assessments were conducted one month after the intervention ended. Overall, the study found that self-administered acupressure significantly improved sleep quality over time compared to the control group, but no significant group differences were observed in pain reduction. These findings suggest that self-administered acupressure may be effective in improving sleep quality in patients with knee osteoarthritis.