International orthopaedics
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Review Meta Analysis
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis.
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) has become a common practice for treating knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, the effectiveness and safety of this treatment are still questionable. This meta-analysis is aimed at determining the degree of pain reduction and functional outcome after ESWT for knee OA. ⋯ Using ESWT to treat knee OA may reduce pain and improve functional outcomes. The effect may last six months to one year. More prospective studies are needed to investigate the settings for ESWT to optimize treatment results.