Table 7.
Comparison of the effects of various physical therapy methods for KOA treatment.
| Treatment method | Research design | Treatment efficacy rate | Statistical significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acupuncture | Dividing 328 knee osteoarthritis patients into observation and control groups | 90.9% | P < .05 |
| Moxibustion | Meta-analysis with 746 participants divided into observation and control groups | 95% | P < .0001 |
| Ultrasonic | 46 KOA participants equally divided into 2 groups of 23 each for control analysis | The experimental group showed significant pain relief | P < .01 |
| Shortwave | Database meta-analysis | 95% | P < .05 |
| PEMF | Dividing 24 rabbits into normal, model, and PEMF groups | PEMF can effectively inhibit chondrocyte apoptosis and suppress cartilage degeneration | P < .01 |
| Low-intensity laser | Randomized double-blind control for 33 bilateral KOA patients | 92% | P < .05 |
| Electrotherapy | Dividing 60 KOA patients into acupuncture and electrotherapy groups | 91.35% | P = .025 |
KOA = knee osteoarthritis, PEMF = pulsed electromagnetic field.