Trial reportPhysiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy2026
Effects of Using High-Frequency TENS During an Exercise Therapy Program in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial.
Trial report in Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06184451 (Effects of TENS During the Performance of a Therapeutic Exercise Protocol in Individuals With Knee Osteoarthritis), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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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.
Effects of TENS During the Performance of a Therapeutic Exercise Protocol in Individuals With Knee Osteoarthritis: Controlled, Randomized, and Blinded Clinical Trial
Who cites it
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
background and purposeTherapeutic exercise is central to knee osteoarthritis (KOA) management, but movement-evoked pain may limit adherence and outcomes. High-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation may reduce pain during movement and enhance exercise-related outcomes. This study evaluated whether high-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation applied during an exercise therapy program provides additional benefits over sham stimulation in individuals with KOA.
methodsIn this randomized, sham-controlled superiority trial with intended participant blinding and blinded outcome assessment, 96 individuals with KOA were randomized to exercise therapy plus active high-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation or exercise therapy plus sham transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. The primary outcome was the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Pain subscale. Secondary outcomes included the remaining Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score subscales, pain intensity, pain-related self-efficacy, patient-specific function, disability, quadriceps isometric strength, and physical function. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and 1 month follow-up. Linear mixed models were used for analysis.
resultsActive high-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation did not provide additional benefit over sham stimulation for the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Pain subscale at post-intervention (adjusted mean difference, 1.05 points; 95% CI, -5.19 to 7.29) or at 1 month follow-up (0.40 points; 95% CI, -5.91 to 6.71). These confidence intervals did not reach the predefined 10-point minimal clinically important difference. No statistically significant between-group differences were observed for any secondary outcome. No adverse effects were reported. DISCUSSION: Adding high-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation to a structured exercise therapy program did not confer additional benefits over sham stimulation in individuals with KOA. These findings should be interpreted in light of the absence of formal blinding assessment, the short follow-up, and the absence of an exercise-only group.
trial registrationThis trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov on December 14, 2023, under the identifier NCT06184451.
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