Riassunto dello studio

80 patients with knee osteoarthritis were randomized to receive either transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS; n=20), inferential current (IFC; n=20), TENS-placebo (n=20), or IFC-placebo (n=20). The primary outcome of interest was knee and shoulder Pain Pressure Threshold (PPT) at 2 weeks and 3 months. Secondary outcomes of interest included pain on a Visual Analog Scale, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Timed Up and Go (TUG), and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK). VAS, WOMAC, PCS, TUG, and TSK scores significantly improved from baseline to two weeks and two weeks to 3 months in all groups. There were no between-group differences for these outcomes. PPT knee and shoulder scores were similar among each group at 2 weeks and 3 months. Improvement in PPT for the knee and shoulder was significantly higher in the TENS group vs. the IFC group.