[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of extracorporeal shock
wave therapy on the pain and function of patients with degenerative knee arthritis.
[Subjects and Methods] Twenty patients with degenerative knee arthritis were divided into
a conservative physical therapy group (n=10) and an extracorporeal shock wave therapy
group (n=10). Both groups received general conservative physical therapy, and the
extracorporeal shock wave therapy was additionally treated with extracorporeal shock wave
therapy after receiving conservative physical therapy. Both groups were treated three
times a week over a four-week period. The visual analogue scale was used to evaluate pain
in the knee joints of the subjects, and the Korean Western Ontario and McMaster
Universities Osteoarthritis Index was used to evaluate the function of the subjects.
[Results] The comparison of the visual analogue scale and Korean Western Ontario and
McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores within each group before and after the
treatment showed statistically significant declines in scores in both the conservative
physical therapy group and extracorporeal shock wave therapy group. A group comparison
after the treatment showed statistically significant differences in these scores in the
extracorporeal shock wave therapy group and the conservative physical therapy group.
[Conclusion] extracorporeal shock wave therapy may be a useful nonsurgical intervention
for reducing the pain of patients with degenerative knee arthritis and improving these
patients’ function.