• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.317-321
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• 2019

Purpose: To identify the effect of knee joint traction therapy on pain, physical function, and depression in patients with degenerative arthritis. Methods: In total, 30 patients with degenerative arthritis were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the experimental group, who underwent knee joint traction therapy, and the control group, who underwent general physical therapy (15 patients per group). Pain was measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS), physical function was measured using the Western ontario and McMaster universities osteoarthritis (WOMAC) index, and depression was measured using the Beck depression inventory (BDI). The VAS, WOMAC score, and BDI score were recorded before and after the 4-week treatment. Results: As a result of comparison within groups, the experimental and control group showed significant difference for VAS, WOMAC and BDI after the experiment (p<0.05). In comparison between the two groups, the experimental group in which knee joint traction was applied showed more significant change in VAS, WOMAC and BDI than the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that knee joint traction therapy was effective in improving pain, physical function, and depression in patients with degenerative arthritis.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.271-280
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• 2005

Objective : The aim of this study is to evaluate internal reliability and correlation among assessment instruments of knee OA. Methods : Data were obtained from 85 patients with knee OA. They were asked to answer VAS pain scale, two disease-specific questionnaires (WOMAC and LFI) and one instrument about health-related quality(KHAQ). Reliability was assessed using cronbach`s alpha. Correlation was assessed by examining the pearson`s correlation coefficients. Results : Cronbach`s alpha of all Index except WOMAC stiffness subscale.(6679) exceeded the value of 0.70. A good correlation was obtained between WOMAC Subscales (especially Pain Subscale) and LFI (.726

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.93-101
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• 2023

PURPOSE: The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis (WOMAC) index has been used to measure the outcome of total knee replacement (TKR), but studies on its reliability and validity are limited. The present study examined the reliability and validity of this index for patients with knee osteoarthritis who underwent TKR. METHODS: Seventy-one inpatients and outpatients who underwent bilateral TKR for knee osteoarthritis were included in this study. The pain assessment scale and WOMAC index were used to evaluate the participants every two weeks to examine the test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and construct validity. RESULTS: The test-retest reliability scores for pain, stiffness, and physical function were .75-.92, .85-.90, and .75-.95, respectively. The corresponding intraclass correlation coefficients were .75-.88, .76-.88, and .71-.95, respectively. The internal consistency score in the first and second examinations was .92. Furthermore, the construct validity scores for pain, stiffness, and physical function were .83, .41, and .58, respectively. CONCLUSION: The application of the WOMAC index in patients who underwent TKR showed high test-retest reliability and internal consistency with the use of the WOMAC index and good validity with the use of the pain assessment scale.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.64-67
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• 2020

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of thread-embedding therapy for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. There were 20 patients treated with thread-embedding therapy at various acupoints on the muscles around the knee. Gender, age, location, morbidity period, numeric rating scale (NRS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) index, improvement result, side effects, and patient's satisfaction were investigated. After the treatment, the NRS score (z = -4.07, p < 0.001) and WOMAC (p < 0.001) indices decreased in most patients. The NRS score decreased by more than 2 points in 95% of the patients. The WOMAC index decreased by 6-12 points. There were no serious side effects, although bruising, pain, and edema were observed. Overall, 85% of the patients felt satisfied with the thread-embedding therapy. These findings suggested that thread-embedding therapy was effective and may be used widely for knee osteoarthritis.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.15-20
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was to evaluate the effect of Bee venom-Acupuncture on knee joint with osteoarthritis. Methods : We investigated 30 cases of patients with osteoarthritis of knee joint. We flip a coin and divide into two groups. Bee venom-acupuncture was performed at one group, and the other group didn't do it. We evaluated the treatment effect of each group by using the WOMAC score. Results : 1. As a result of evaluation by using the WOMAC, the score after treatment was marked higher than that before treatment within each group. 2. After treatment, Bee venom-Acupuncture group showed significant difference on WOMAC score compared with acupuncture group. Conclusion : These results suggested that Bee venom-Acupuncture treatment should be more effective in the patient with osteoarthritis of knee joint.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.63-74
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• 2011

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical application of Gamisopunghwalhyeal-tang to three patients traumatic knee joint injury. Methods: Patients are hospitalized at Dept. of Oriental Rehabilitation, Bu-Chun Jaseng Oriental Medicine Hospital, diagnosed as traumatic knee joint injury and treated mainly with herbal medicine ; Gamisopunghwalhyeal-tang. This study was measured by VAS(Visual Analogue Scale) score and walking time and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities(WOMAC) index score. Results: After taking Gamisopunghwalhyeal-tang, the patient's pain was controlled and increased time of walking on floor after treatment. VAS & WOMAC score were decreased. Conclusions: As seen in this three cases of traumatic knee joint injury, Gamisopunghwalhyeal-tang has a positive effect to control pain with traumatic knee joint injury.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.227-242
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• 2008

Objectives : To compare the efficacy of local acupoint with distal acupuncture at relieving pain and improving function in knee osteoarthritis. Designs : A randomized, single-blinded, crossover clinical trial. Settings : One outpatient clinic(department of acupuncture & moxibustion) located in academic teaching hospital, South Korea. Patients : 17 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee(mean age 62.76[$SD{\pm}4.37$] years). Interventions : The trial had 4 stages : baseline(2weeks), phase I and II(each 2weeks), washout period(2weeks). Patients were randomly assigned to either group A or group B. Group A received acupuncture at local acupoints during phase I, then acupuncture at distal acupoints in phase II. Group B received the treatments in reverse order. In each phase, the patients were treated with acupuncture for 6 times. Measurements : The primary outcome was subjective pain as measured by a 100mm visual analogue scale(VAS) ranging from 0(no pain) to 10(worst pain ever). Secondary outcomes were changes in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index(WOMAC) total and pain scores. Measurements were obtained at baseline, 1st day of phase I and II, and 2 days after last treatment of phase I and II. Results : The 17 participants in 2 groups were well matched for age, sex, target knees, baseline VAS score, WOMAC pain score and WOMAC score. Participants in local acupoint group experienced greater improvement than distal acupoint group at 2 days after last treatment in WOMAC total score(mean difference, -10.65[95% CI, -20.56 to -0.74] ; P=0.036) but not in VAS(mean difference, -12.41[95% CI, -29.56 to 4.73] P=0.15) and WOMAC pain score(mean difference, -1.82[95% CI, -3.98 to 0.33] ; P=0.094). Conclusions : Local acupoints are more effective than distal acupoints at relieving pain and improving function in knee osteoarthritis.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.143-154
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• 2005

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of home care exercise program on knee joint function(WOMAC) and the quality of life in patient with total knee replacement arthroplasty. Method: Forty-one subjects were sampled according to research criteria, and divided into two groups : 21 out of experimental group and 20 out of control group. The patients having treatment of total knee replacement arthroplasty were out of the hospital. After surgery executed, it took 8days for them to recovere their health conditions since 10th day, the experimental group received the home care exercise program per regularly four days interval. Results: 1) After applying home care exercise program, the total score on the WOMAC Index for the control group was $3.09{\pm}.76$. The score of the experimental group was $3.55{\pm}.55$ which is statistically higher than that of the control group. (P=.007). 2) After applying home care exercise program, the score of the quality of life for the control group was $3.09{\pm}.50$. The score of the experimental group was $3.46{\pm}.35$ Which is statistically higher than that of the control group. (P=.007). Conclusion: This figures show that home care exercise program has good results. These findings also indicate that the services of home care exercise program are alternatives for the hospitalization.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.33-37
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• 2009

Anti-inflammatory factor(AIF) is a water soluble extract of three herbs, Panax notoginseng(Burk.) F. H. Chen, Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch and Eleutherococcus senticosus. The present study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of herb extracts, AIF, on Korean knee osteoarthritis patients for six weeks. Fifty seven patients with knee osteoarthritis, ranging from 43 to 73 years of age, who fulfilled the "American College of Rheumatology"(ACR) classification of idiopathic osteoarthritis of knee and radiographic criteria were randomly selected and enrolled for the study. After initial screening and resting period, two capsules each of AIF(Each capsule contains; 400 mg) and similar identical placebo were administered twice a day to both groups. Pain intensity at second, fourth, and sixth weeks of study as well as one week after discontinuation of drugs was assessed by using 100 mm visual analogue scale(VAS). Changes in the Korean version of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities(K-WOMAC) index score were compared at the initiation and completion of the study. VAS assessed by patients were significantly reduced(at visit 2; $54.64{\pm}14.72$, at visit 4, $37.32{\pm}16.58$, p<0.001) after AIF administration. Results showed an improvement in the physical function of K-WOMAC scale which was significantly higher(p=0.013) in AIF than placebo group, and decreases of total K-WOMAC score were also significantly higher(p=0.030) in AIF groups than placebo group. No serious adverse effect was observed, and there was no difference in incidence of adverse effect between AIF and placebo groups. In this population of Korean patients with knee osteoarthritis, AIF was found to be safe, tolerable and effective for symptomatic improvement of pain and physical function.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.64-72
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• 2013

Objectives : The aim of this study was to investigate whether warm-needling is more effective than acupuncture in relieving the pain and improving the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis(OA). Methods : 76 volunteers with knee OA participated in the study. The subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group received warm-needling(n=38), while the other group received acupuncture(n=38). Sixteen sessions of warm-needling or acupuncture were conducted on the pain region of each problematic knee over a period of 8 weeks. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index(WOMAC) scores, physical health score based on the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey(SF-36) and the Global Assessment(PGA) was measured. Results : Compared to the acupuncture group, the warm-needling group showed a significant decrease in pain, function, and total WOMAC scores according to the Mann-Whitney U-test. The PGA scores of the warm-needling group also showed a significant improvement compared to the acupuncture group. Conclusions : Warm-needling showed a greater pain relief effect on knee OA compared to the acupuncture group. These findings suggest that warm-needling may be a promising alternative therapy for treating knee OA.