Review finds no clear winner in knee osteoarthritis rehabilitation
A systematic review found that elastic-band resistance training and isokinetic machine-based rehabilitation were each associated with improvements in selected outcomes versus control, but found no statistically significant differences between them; evidence certainty was low to very low.
A systematic review and network meta-analysis published in Sports on Nov. 3 compared elastic-band resistance training with isokinetic machine-based rehabilitation for adults with knee osteoarthritis. The review included 19 trials, while eight unique trials contributed to its quantitative synthesis.1
Both approaches were associated with improvements in selected Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index outcomes versus control, but the review reported substantial heterogeneity and low-to-very-low certainty.1
Indirect comparisons found no statistically significant differences in pain, physical function or stiffness, and the authors said direct head-to-head trials were needed to establish comparative effectiveness.1
