Self-administered acupressure reduces knee pain with suspected osteoarthritis

Self-administered acupressure (SAA) is an efficacious and cost-effective approach to relieve knee pain in middle-aged and older adults with probable knee osteoarthritis (OA), according to a study published online April 19 in JAMA Network Open.

Wing-Fai Yeung, Ph.D., from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and colleagues evaluated the effectiveness of SAA taught via a short training course on reducing knee OA pain in middle-aged and older adults (aged 50 years and older). The analysis included 314 participants randomly assigned to acupressure twice daily for 12 weeks or a control education session on knee health.

The researchers found that at week 12, the intervention group had a significantly greater reduction in a numerical rating scale pain score (mean difference, −0.54 points) and higher enhancement in the Short Form 6 Dimensions utility score (mean difference, 0.03 points) versus the control group. However, there were no significant differences in the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index, Timed Up and Go, or Fast Gait Speed tests. There was >90 percent probability that the intervention is cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay threshold of 1 GDP per capita.

"It was noteworthy that participants showed high acceptability and compliance with the SAA training program," the authors write. "Our cost-effectiveness analysis indicated that the SAA was a cost-effective intervention."

One author disclosed ties to AstraZeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim.

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