Complementary therapies in clinical practice
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Complement Ther Clin Pract · Feb 2016
ReviewKnee osteoarthritis pain in the elderly can be reduced by massage therapy, yoga and tai chi: A review.
This is a review of recently published research, both empirical studies and meta-analyses, on the effects of complementary therapies including massage therapy, yoga and tai chi on pain associated with knee osteoarthritis in the elderly. ⋯ Larger, randomized control trials are needed on each of these therapies using more standardized protocols and more objective variables in addition to the self-reported WOMAC pain scale, for example, range-of-motion and observed range-of-motion pain. In addition, treatment comparison studies should be conducted so, for example, if the lower-cost yoga and tai chi were as effective as massage therapy, they might be used in combination with or as supplemental to massage therapy. Nonetheless, these therapies are at least reducing pain in knee osteoarthritis and they do not seem to have side effects.