Focused Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy Versus Therapeutic Ultrasound as Adjuncts to Exercise-Based Rehabilitation for Functional Limitation in Ankylosing Spondylitis: An Assessor-Blinded Randomized Comparative Trial.

What was studied

This trial compared a shock wave treatment with an ultrasound treatment. Both were added to the same exercise programme for ankylosing spondylitis. It included 106 people with chronic lumbar stiffness. Assessors did not know which treatment each person got. 90 people finished 12 months of follow-up. The main outcome was functional capacity, scored by BASFI.

What they found

Both groups improved on every outcome. At 12 months, the shock wave group had lower BASFI scores. They were 2.2 versus 3.7 for ultrasound. The shock wave group also had less disability. Pain and disease activity did not differ between groups. A small gap in spinal mobility did not hold after correction for many tests.

What it means for patients

The authors say shock wave therapy was linked to greater lasting gains in function. They say the added value of either one over exercise alone cannot be known. They call the findings preliminary.

Why it is not certain yet

The trial was not registered in advance. It had no group on exercise alone. The authors call the findings exploratory. Not everyone finished the 12 months of follow-up. They say properly registered trials must confirm the results.

Source

Focused Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy Versus Therapeutic Ultrasound as Adjuncts to Exercise-Based Rehabilitation for Functional Limitation in Ankylosing Spondylitis: An Assessor-Blinded Randomized Comparative Trial.

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