Discussion
KOA, primary KOA, pain
This study was the first to compare the effects of PEMFT and LLLT on pain and physical function of participants with primary KOA. Our results indicate that both treatment modalities were similarly effective in reducing pain while walking and improving walking velocity. However, PEMFT was more effective in reducing pain at rest, when standing from a sitting position, and when climbing the stairs. Furthermore, PEMFT had a greater impact on the WOMAC scores and TUG test results. The results of the current study are in accordance with those of previous studies regarding PEMFT, which demonstrated positive effects on pain and physical function [The great variability in the parameters of LLLT and PEMFT used in previous studies is a significant issue that has been consistently raised in the literature, causing difficulties in generalizing conclusions and inability to recommend the optimal parameters of either treatments [The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was defined by Jaeschke et al. as “the smallest difference in score in the domain of interest, which participants perceive as beneficial and which would mandate a change in the patient’s management” [To assess physical function, our study included a self-reported questionnaire (WOMAC) and two objective tests (TUG and 10 MW). The MCID of WOMAC is also linked to the baseline scores, with an MCID of 18.11–22.5 for high WOMAC scores [This study has certain limitations. First, we did not summarize the patients’ medications prior to performing the interventions and did not limit their use during the intervention period; this may have potentially affected the results. Furthermore, since the study included only individuals with grades 2–3 KOA, the results of the current study cannot be generalized to individuals whose initial KOA grade is < 2 or > 4. Finally, long-term follow-up was not performed; thus, the long-term effects of the interventions could not be determined.