SynthesisBMC musculoskeletal disorders2024
Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on pain and physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on pain and function in patients with knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation · 2026Pooled it
- Noninvasive electrical stimulation on pain and function in knee osteoarthritis in middle-aged and older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Transcranial direct current stimulation for pain threshold in knee osteoarthritis: a mechanism-oriented systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in physiology · 2026Pooled it
- Trial
- The impacts of transcranial direct current stimulation combined with aquatic neuromuscular training on pain, function, kinesiophobia, knee instability, and quality of life in knee osteoarthritis: a double-blind randomized trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation · 2025Trial
- Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation as a pain modulator in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled clinical trial.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025Trial
- Osteoarthritis: Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment.MedComm · 2026Review
- A randomized trial of a digitally delivered, home-based neuromodulation and mindfulness intervention for pain management in older adults with knee osteoarthritis.NPJ digital medicine · 2026Article
- Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on pain and pain-related outcomes: an umbrella review.The Korean journal of pain · 2025Article
- Associations between transcranial direct current stimulation session exposure and clinical outcomes in knee osteoarthritis: a cross-sectional analysis exploring the role of pain catastrophizing.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2025Article
- A New Way to Treat Central Nervous System Dysfunction Caused by Musculoskeletal Injuries Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: A Narrative Review.Brain sciences · 2025Review
- Effects of tDCS combined with TENS in relieving pain and improving gait patterns during stepping over obstacles among older adults with knee osteoarthritis.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2025Article
- Effectiveness of transcranial direct electrical stimulation in management of patellofemoral pain syndrome: A randomized controlled trial.Journal of family & community medicineArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundKeen Osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common chronic disabling disease characterized by joint pain and dysfunction, which seriously affects patients' quality of life. Recent studies have shown that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) was a promising treatment for KOA. PURPOSE: Investigate the effects of tDCS on pain and physical function in patients with KOA.
methodsRandomized controlled trials related to tDCS and KOA were systematically searched in the PubMed, Embase, Medline, Cochrane Library, CINHL, and Web of Science databases from inception to July 23, 2024. The pain intensity was evaluated using the visual analog scale or the numeric rating scale, and the pain sensitivity was assessed using conditioned pain modulation, pressure pain threshold, heat pain threshold, or heat pain tolerance. The physical function outcome was evaluated using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index or the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score. Statistical analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4.
resultsSeven studies with a total of 503 participants were included. Compared to sham tDCS, tDCS was effective in reducing the short-term pain intensity (SMD: -0.58; 95% CI: -1.02, -0.14; p = 0.01) and pain sensitivity (SMD: -0.43; 95% CI: -0.70, -0.16; p = 0.002) but failed to significantly improve the long-term pain intensity (SMD: -0.26; 95% CI: -0.59, 0.08; p = 0.13) in KOA patients. In addition, tDCS did not significantly improve the short-term (SMD: -0.13; 95% CI: -0.35, 0.08; p = 0.22) and long-term (SMD: 0.02; 95% CI: -0.22, 0.25; p = 0.90) physical function in patients with KOA.
conclusionsThe tDCS can reduce short-term pain intensity and sensitivity but fails to significantly relieve long-term pain intensity and improve the physical function in patients with KOA. Thus, tDCS may be a potential therapeutic tool to reduce short-term pain intensity and pain sensitivity in patients with KOA.
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