• Aline Mizusaki Imoto, Maria Stella Peccin, Lucas Emmanuel Pedro de Paiva Teixeira, Kelson Nonato Gomes da Silva, Marcelo Abrahão, and Virgínia Fernandes Moça Trevisani.
• Universidade Federal de São Paulo Unifesp, São Paulo, Brazil. aline.mizusaki@globo.com
• Sao Paulo Med J. 2013 Jan 1; 131 (2): 808780-7.

Context And ObjectiveNeuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has been used in rehabilitation protocols for patients suffering from muscle weakness resulting from knee osteoarthritis. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of an eight-week treatment program of NMES combined with exercises, for improving pain and function among patients with knee osteoarthritis.Design And SettingRandomized clinical trial at Interlagos Specialty Ambulatory Clinic, Sao Paulo, Brazil.MethodsOne hundred were randomized into two groups: NMES group and control group. The following evaluation measurements were used: numerical pain scale from 0 to 10, timed up and go (TUG) test, Lequesne index and activities of daily living (ADL) scale.ResultsEighty-two patients completed the study. From intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis comparing the groups, the NMES group showed a statistically significant improvement in relation to the control group, regarding pain intensity (difference between means: 1.67 [0.31 to 3.02]; P = 0.01), Lequesne index (difference between means: 1.98 [0.15 to 3.79]; P = 0.03) and ADL scale (difference between means: -11.23 [-19.88 to -2.57]; P = 0.01).ConclusionNMES, within a rehabilitation protocol for patients with knee osteoarthritis, is effective for improving pain, function and activities of daily living, in comparison with a group that received an orientation program. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION ACTRN012607000357459.

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