Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in a Person With Advanced Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head.
Yue Wen Ma, Dong Lei Jiang, Dai Zhang and 2 others
PMID 27003206WHAT IT FOUND
In a woman with advanced femoral head osteonecrosis who declined THA, 24 months of weekly radial shock wave therapy was reported with less pain, better hip scores, and improved walking.
No comparison group, so this does not show the treatment worked.
Key findings
01The patient reported complete resolution of pain at the 12th month.
02Pain and HHS scores improved after 1 month, with further improvement in performing functional activities at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months.
03She switched from a crutch to a walking stick after 8 months and walked without a stick most of the time after 18 months.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
This is a single case report, so it cannot show that radial shock wave therapy caused the reported improvements. There was no comparison group, usual care control, or blinded outcome assessment described. The patient's hip subluxation was slightly aggravated on radiographs despite the reported clinical improvements. Some outcomes were subjective reports of pain, walking, and travel. The supplied text refers to tables for scores but does not state the values.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the reported pain and walking improvements as proof that radial shock wave therapy treats advanced osteonecrosis of the femoral head. This was a single case report with no comparison group, and the hip subluxation was slightly aggravated on radiographs.