Self-massage reduces knee pain if osteoarthritis is suspected
Last reviewed: 14.06.2024
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Self-administered acupressure (SAA) is an effective and cost-effective method for relieving knee pain in middle-aged and elderly people with probable osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee, according to study published in JAMA Network Open.
Wing-Fai Yeung, PhD, of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and colleagues evaluated the effectiveness of a short course of SAA in reducing pain in Knee OA in middle-aged and elderly people (aged 50 years and older). The analysis included 314 participants randomized to receive acupressure twice daily for 12 weeks or a control educational session on knee health.
The researchers found that at week 12, the intervention group had a significantly greater reduction in Numerical Pain Rating Scale scores (mean difference, −0.54 points) and improvement in the Short Form 6 Dimensions utility score (mean difference, 0.54 points). 03 points) compared to the control group. However, no significant differences were observed in the Wester and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index, Timed Up and Go, or Fast Gait Speed tests. The probability that the intervention would be cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay threshold of 1 GDP per capita was >90 percent.
“It is worth noting that participants demonstrated high acceptance and compliance with the SAA training program,” the authors write. "Our cost-effectiveness analysis showed that SAA was a cost-effective intervention."