High-power Pain Threshold Ultrasound and Vibration Massage in Treatment Knee Osteoarthritis Patients

Calf muscle have tendency of development of trigger points that can increase pain in patients with osteoarthritis. Purpose:To investigate the effect of adding high-power pain threshold ultrasound to vibration massage on calf muscle tightness, pain intensity, pain threshold, and knee function in knee osteoarthritis patients. Subject and methods: Sixty male and female patients diagnosed clinically by physician as having knee osteoarthritis grades II-III participated in the study. Their age ranged from 40 to 60 years. They were assigned randomly into three groups (A, B, C) equal in number. Group (A) received conventional treatment. Group (B) received conventional treatment plus vibration. Group (C) received conventional treatment, vibration and the high-power pain threshold ultrasound. Outcome measurements were taken before and after intervention, so patients received intervention for 12 sessions (three sessions per week). Tape measurement was used to measure the calf muscle flexibility, VAS to measure pain intensity, pressure algometer to measure pain threshold and WOMAC questionnaire to measure the knee functions.