The Effect of Acupressure in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis

August 15, 2022 updated by: Tuğba AYDEMİR, TC Erciyes University

The Effect of Acupressure on Pain, Functional Status and Quality of Life in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis

Abstract Pain is the most common symptom of osteoarthritis and affects people's functional status with quality of life. This study was conducted to determine the effect of acupressure on pain, functional status, and quality of life in patients living with knee osteoarthritis. Acupressure application and follow-ups were performed by the researcher in the patient's home environment. The study was performed with 90 patients, 45 in the intervention group and 45 in the control group. Acupressure was performed two days a week for four weeks with a total of eight sessions on the ST34, ST35, ST36, SP9, SP10, GB34 acupuncture points following an acupressure practice guide prepared by the researcher. It was determined that while the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores of the intervention group were higher than those of the control group before application, they had decreased after application. It was found that all subscale mean scores of the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) quality of life questionnaire increased after application in the intervention group. It was concluded that acupressure has decreased pain severity and increased the functional status and quality of life of patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Keywords: Osteoarthritis, pain, nursing, acupressure.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Abstract Background: Pain is the most common symptom of osteoarthritis and affects people's functional status with quality of life.

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the effect of acupressure on pain, functional status, and quality of life in patients living with knee osteoarthritis.

Methods/Design: The study was conducted as an experimental study with a pre-posttest and a control group.

Settings: The study was conducted on patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis and attended the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Polyclinics of Nevşehir government hospital in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. Acupressure application and follow-ups were performed by the researcher in the patient's home environment.

Participants: The study was performed with 90 patients, 45 in the intervention group and 45 in the control group.

Intervention: Acupressure was performed two days a week for four weeks with a total of eight sessions on the ST34, ST35, ST36, SP9, SP10, GB34 acupuncture points following an acupressure practice guide prepared by the researcher.

Measurement of efficacy: Data was collected before and after acupressure application by using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC).

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

90

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey
    • Ni̇ğde
      • Niğde, Ni̇ğde, Turkey, 51240
        • Nigde Omer Halisdemir University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

38 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 38 years old and over
  • Diagnosed by a doctor with knee OA according to American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria
  • had three points and over on the VAS pain scale,
  • had no communication problems
  • did not have any significant knee trauma within the last six months or an intra-articular steroid injection
  • did not have any infection in the lower extremities or wounds, surgery or physiotherapy within the last six months
  • those who accepted to participate to the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • the patient is not willing to go on the study in any stage of the study and case of any adverse effect of acupressure.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Acupressure (intervention group)
The intervention group was performed with 45 patients. Acupressure was performed two days a week for four weeks with a total of eight sessions on the ST34, ST35, ST36, SP9, SP10, GB34 acupuncture points following an acupressure practice guide prepared by the researcher.
Procedure: Acupressure
Acupressure was performed two days a week for four weeks with a total of eight sessions on the ST34, ST35, ST36, SP9, SP10, GB34 acupuncture points following an acupressure practice guide prepared by the researcher.
Other Names:
  • Control
No Intervention: Control group
Thecontrol group was performed with 45 patients. Any application was not performed for the control group.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Pain level in visual analogue scale (VAS)
Time Frame: baseline, change from baseline at 4th week;
Pain severity scores were determined by measuring values that were chosen on VAS by patients. The numerical scale ranges from 0 "No pain", to 10 "Worst pain imaginable", and a numerical value is given to every 1 cm range to measure pain severity.
baseline, change from baseline at 4th week;

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index
Time Frame: baseline, change from baseline at 4th week;
Their functional status levels were evaluated by using WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index.Every question is scored between 0 and 4 points evaluated with a five-way Likert-type scale. High scores from the index show increased pain and stiffness and dysfunction in physical function.
baseline, change from baseline at 4th week;
36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36)
Time Frame: baseline, change from baseline at 4th week;
Their changes in quality of life levels were evaluated by using SF-36 scale.The scale gives separate scores for every sub-scale, which varies between 0 and 100 points. High scores on the subscales show good health status, while low scores show a deterioration in health
baseline, change from baseline at 4th week;

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

TC Erciyes University

Collaborators

Pınar TEKİNSOY KARTIN
Rabiye ÇIRPAN

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Tuğba AYDEMİR, RN, MSc, Nigde Omer Halisdemir University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

March 7, 2015

Primary Completion (Actual)

June 11, 2015

Study Completion (Actual)

November 11, 2015

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 21, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 11, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

February 14, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 17, 2022

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 15, 2022

Last Verified

August 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • NevsehirU

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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