Preliminary therapeutic knee band development for knee osteoarthritis (koa) relief in the elderly: A pilot study

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is the most common type of arthritis with a high prevalence especially among the elderly. A new concept of acu-magnetic therapy has been developed and designed into a therapeutic knee band for KOA relief. Therefore, aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of the acu-magnetic knee band for KOA relief in the elderly. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) has been conducted among 30 eligible subjects allocated to either a treatment group with six-week acu-magnetic intervention or a control group without intervention. The clinical effects was evaluated using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) Index, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and knee range of motion (ROM). Results presented a superiority established in the treatment group on all measurements when compared with the control group. In conclusion, the acu-magnetic knee band was feasible and effective for KOA relief in the elderly.