Electrical Dry Needling Versus Iontophoresis in Treating Chronic Unilateral Knee Osteoarthritis

NCT06578663 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: Horus_Phd_2024
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effects of electrical dry needling versus glucosamine sulfate iontophoresis on pain intensity level, functional ability, and knee range of motion in chronic unilateral knee osteoarthritis patients.

Conditions

Osteoarthritis of Knee

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Pain intensity level measurement

  The visual analog scale (VAS) is a pain rating scale .A 10-cm line that represents a continuum between the two ends of the scale-"no pain" on the left end (0 cm) of the scale and the "worst pain" on the right end of the scale (10 cm)

  at baseline and after 6 weeks

• Functional ability measurement

  Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome (KOOS) Score.A 0-100 scale, with zero express extreme knee problems and 100 for no knee problems, as common in orthopedic scales.

  at baseline and after 6 weeks

• Knee ROM measurement

  A digital goniometer will be used to measure active knee ROM. The subject will be supine, flexing and extending their knee to the maximum. Bony landmarks will be identified for standardization and repeatability. The goniometer will be positioned over the lateral epicondyle of the femur, with the greater trochanter for reference. Measurements will be made three times, and the average value will be analyzed. Knee ROM measurements in patients with knee OA show high reliability.

  at baseline and after 6 weeks

Study Arms (3)

conventional program

SHAM COMPARATOR

will receive conventional physical therapy, including transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and an exercise therapy program (stretching exercises, both hip and knee strengthening, balance, and stability exercise)

Other: conventional physical therapy

dry needling and conventional program

EXPERIMENTAL

will receive conventional physical therapy, plus electrical dry needling.

Other: conventional physical therapy; Other: Electrical Dry Needling

Glucosamine sulfate iontophoresis and conventional program

EXPERIMENTAL

will receive conventional physical therapy, plus Glucosamine sulfate iontophoresis.

Other: conventional physical therapy; Other: Glucosamine sulfate iontophoresis

Interventions

conventional physical therapy OTHER

including transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and an exercise therapy program (stretching exercises, both hip and knee strengthening, balance, and stability exercise)

Glucosamine sulfate iontophoresis and conventional program; conventional program; dry needling and conventional program

Electrical Dry Needling OTHER

In electrical dry needling, needle electrodes are used to deliver an electric current to the taut muscle band or the pain-generating trigger point. Low-frequency currents are thought to improve the physiological effects of the therapy by using electrical stimulation to enhance certain physiological reactions and achieve a speedier analgesic and anesthetic effect than that obtained with standard dry needling.

dry needling and conventional program

Glucosamine sulfate iontophoresis OTHER

Galvanic current mode will be used to deliver the cream through the skin. One gram of GS will be placed on positive electrode (being positively charged using Trans-arthral electrode placement technique) for administration of Iontophoresis \[40mA-min (2mA x 20minutes)\].

Glucosamine sulfate iontophoresis and conventional program

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 40 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• The patient will be selected from the outpatient clinic of physical therapy at Horus University, New Damietta, Egypt, diagnosed with a Kellgren/Lawrence grade 2,3 radiological severity of knee osteoarthritis (OA). and referred by an orthopedist.
• Age will range from 40 to 60 years.
• Body mass index will range from 25 to 29.9 kg/m2.
• Duration of knee pain not less than 3 months prior to study .

You may not qualify if:

• Patients with history of cardiac disorder with pacemaker.
• Knee surgery.
• Diabetes and nutritional disorder.
• Neuromuscular and other musculoskeletal diseases.
• Any red flags to dry needling, or conventional therapy.
• Had received physical therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, chiropractic, or intra-articular injections for the painful knee in the last 3 months.
• Presented with positive neurological signs.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Horus University: lead

Study Sites (1)

out-patient clinic, faculty of physical therapy, Horus university

Damietta, Egypt

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Osteoarthritis, Knee

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Osteoarthritis; Arthritis; Joint Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Rheumatic Diseases

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Masking Details: The sample will be randomly divided into three groups: A, B, and C. Group A: The control group (n=20) Group B: The study group (n=20) will receive conventional physical therapy plus electrical dry needling. Group C: The study group (n=20) will receive conventional physical therapy plus glucosamine sulfate iontophoresis.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: lecturer assistant

Model Details: Randomized controlled trail, repeated measured; pre and post-test experimental design will be conducted

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 16, 2024
• First Posted: August 29, 2024
• Study Start: June 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2024
• Study Completion: June 1, 2025
• Last Updated: July 15, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Locations

EG (1)