Electroacupuncture was safe and showed a higher proportion of functional improvement than sham treatment, although overall mobility differences were not statistically significant.
This pilot randomized controlled trial enrolled adults with moderate knee osteoarthritis at a teaching hospital in Beijing. Participants were randomly assigned to receive eight weeks of electroacupuncture or sham electroacupuncture, while both participants and outcome assessors remained unaware of treatment allocation. The main outcome assessed improvement in the Timed Up and Go mobility test, with additional assessments of knee movement, leg muscle strength, osteoarthritis severity, stair climbing, and mobility.
More participants receiving electroacupuncture achieved the predefined mobility improvement than those receiving sham treatment, but the groups did not differ significantly in overall Timed Up and Go performance after treatment. Treatment adherence was high, most participants completed the study, and no adverse effects were reported, indicating that the intervention and trial procedures were safe and acceptable.
