Trial reportJournal of orthopaedic surgery and research2021
A randomized controlled trial on the effect of focal thermal therapy at acupressure points treating osteoarthritis of the knee.
Trial report in Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 5 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Effect of Focal Thermal Therapy at Acupuncture Points in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee
Effect of Combination of Curcuminoid Standardized Turmeric Extract With Acupressure on Inflammatory Markers, Endorphins and Quality of Life in Elderly People With Osteoarthritis Genu
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.
- Clinical study on Knee Three Needles combined with ultra-short wave for knee osteoarthritis.Medicine · 2026Article
- Cryotherapy and thermotherapy in the management of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis: A comprehensive review.Fundamental research · 2025Review
- Physical modalities for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a network meta-analysis.Aging clinical and experimental research · 2025Article
- Therapeutic Potential of Acupuncture in Knee Osteoarthritis: Clinical Efficacy and Mechanistic Insights.Journal of inflammation research · 2025Review
- Minimal clinically important change of knee flexion in people with knee osteoarthritis after non-surgical interventions using a meta-analytical approach.Systematic reviews · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundOsteoarthritis of the knee is a common degenerative joint disorder in our ageing population. A combination of thermal therapy with a self-management exercise have shown a positive effect in the management of osteoarthritis of the knee. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of topical heat pack versus focal application of heat therapy at the acupressure points in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee.
methodsA randomized controlled trial was conducted in 76 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, diagnosed by an experienced orthopedic surgeon. Following inclusion and exclusion selection, patients were randomly allocated to group 1 (Heat pack) or group 2 (Thermal gun). All patients received 30 min of treatment in each session, twice a week for 4 weeks. They also received an education program and taught home knee exercises. Outcome measurements were the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain intensity, muscle power, knee ROM, WOMAC and SF-12v2.
resultsIn the Thermal gun group, function and total scores (WOMAC) and Physical Composite Scale (SF-12v2) were significantly improved after 8 sessions. Quadriceps strength was significantly improved after 8 weeks (from 4.42 to 4.63; p = 0.02). In the Heat pack group, flexion was significantly improved after 8 sessions (p = 0.02). Mean VAS scores after Heat pack treatment was consistently better (lower) than mean VAS scores after Thermal gun treatment.
conclusionThe combination of focal thermal therapy at acupressure points is a viable conservative treatment in osteoarthritis of the knee. The pressure at the acupressure points has a synergistic benefit than topical thermal therapy alone.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov , NCT04735029 Date of registration: February 2, 2021 (Retrospectively registered).
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.