• Yasemin Ulus, Berna Tander, Yesim Akyol, Dilek Durmus, Ozlem Buyukakıncak, Ulku Gul, Ferhan Canturk, Ayhan Bilgici, and Omer Kuru.
• Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical Faculty, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey.
• Int J Rheum Dis. 2012 Apr 1; 15 (2): 197-206.

AimThe aim of this trial was to evaluate the short-term effectiveness of ultrasound (US) therapy on pain, physical function, ambulation activity, disability and psychological status in patients with knee OA.MethodsForty-two inpatients with bilateral knee OA were randomized by an independent researcher not involved in the data assessment, to receive either therapeutic continuous US (group 1) or sham US (group 2). A 1-MHz US head was used, set to an intensity of 1 W/cm(2) for 10 min. All patients received 20 min of hot packs, 10 min of interferential current, and 15 min of quadriceps isometric exercise of both knees. Patients in each group received treatments five times weekly for 3 weeks. Patients were evaluated at baseline and at the end of the treatment sessions. Outcome measures included visual analogue scale (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), 50-m walking speed, Lequesne index, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).ResultsThe patients with knee OA had significant improvements in pain, stiffness, functional activity, walking time, disability, depression and anxiety scores with therapeutic US and sham US (P < 0.05). The improvement in pain VAS scores, WOMAC scores, Lequesne index and HADS scores were not significantly different in patients treated with US and sham US (P > 0.05). No side-effects were reported during or after the US treatment periods.ConclusionUS therapy is safe but use of US in addition to conventional physical therapy programs seems to have no further significant effect in people with knee OA.© 2012 The Authors International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases © 2012 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

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