Shock Wave Versus Traditional Physical Therapy for Adult Chronic Knee Osteoarthritis

Shock Wave Versus Traditional Physical Therapy for Adult Chronic Knee Osteoarthritis: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

This study aims to compare the effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) versus structured therapeutic exercise in patients with chronic knee osteoarthritis (KOA), with respect to pain reduction and improvement of knee function.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Chronic Knee Osteoarthritis; Shock Wave; Traditional Physical Therapy
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Extracorporeal shock wave therapy; Other: Exercise therapy program

Detailed Description

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a highly prevalent chronic degenerative joint disease characterized by progressive cartilage loss, chronic pain, stiffness, functional disability, and reduced quality of life in adults, particularly the elderly.

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) has emerged as a non-invasive physical modality that delivers acoustic pressure waves to musculoskeletal tissues, stimulating biological responses such as enhanced microcirculation, anti-inflammatory cytokine modulation, neovascularization, cartilage and bone repair processes, and decreased pain transmission.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 40
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Magdy M Shabana, MD; Phone Number: 00201006053332; Email: magdy.shabana@giu-uni.de

Study Locations

• Egypt
  • Cairo, Egypt, 12613
    • Recruiting
    • German International University
    • Contact: Magdy M Shabana, MD; Phone Number: 00201006053332; Email: magdy.shabana@giu-uni.de

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults ≥ 40 years with clinical and radiographic diagnosis of chronic knee osteoarthritis (KOA) (Kellgren-Lawrence grade II-III).
• Both sexes.
• Persistent knee pain ≥ 3 months.
• Ability to provide consent and participate in interventions.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Prior knee surgery within last 6 months.
• Intra-articular injections in the last 3 months.
• Systemic inflammatory arthritis or other neurological conditions affecting gait.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: ESWT Group; Patients will receive extracorporeal shock wave therapy.	Other: Extracorporeal shock wave therapy; Patients will receive extracorporeal shock wave therapy.
Active Comparator: Exercise Therapy Group; Patients will undergo a structured exercise therapy program.	Other: Exercise therapy program; Patients will undergo a structured exercise therapy program.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in pain intensity	Change in pain intensity will be assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) which is a 10-cm horizontal line used to measure pain intensity, ranging from (0) "no pain" to (10) "worst imaginable pain".	5-week after intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Stiffness assessment	Stiffness will be assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). WOMAC will be recorded at baseline, at the end of the intervention period, and during follow-up. Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.	5-week after intervention
Assessment of physical function	Physical function will be assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). WOMAC will be recorded at baseline, at the end of the intervention period, and during follow-up. Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.	5-week after intervention
Knee range of motion	Knee range of motion (ROM) will be assessed.	5-week after intervention
Incidence of adverse events	Incidence of adverse events will be recorded.	5-week after intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: German International University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 18, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 9, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 9, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): March 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 19, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 18, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Therapeutics; Physical Therapy Modalities; Rehabilitation; Ultrasonic Therapy; Diathermy; Hyperthermia, Induced; Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy
• Other Study ID Numbers: DCSR-02026-104

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: The data will be available upon a reasonable request from the corresponding author after the end of study for one year.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: After the end of study for one year.
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: The data will be available upon a reasonable request from the corresponding author.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No