Efficacy of pulsed electromagnetic field on hemarthrotic knee in haemophilic adolescence

Abstract

Background: Haemophilia is a hereditary coagulopathy disease affecting males. It is characterized by musculoskeletal bleeding, leading to chronic synovitis and severe joint hemarthrosis. Objective: To determine the impact of pulsed electro- magnetic field on swelling, range of motion and muscle strength of hemarthrotic knee joints of haemophilic adolescents. Participants and Methodology: Thirty haemophilic adolescent males ranging in age between thirteen and sixteen years who fulfilled the inclusion criteria participated in this study. They were assigned randomly into two groups of equal numbers A (control) and B (study). Groups A and B received a specific program of physical therapy for sixty minutes, in addition, group A received a placebo pulsed electromagnetic field for twenty minutes, while group B received pulsed electromagnetic field for twenty minutes. The treatment program was applied three days/week for three successive months. Evaluation of knee swelling using tape measurement, range of motion using electronic goniometer and muscle strength using isokinetic dynamometer was conducted for each patient of groups A and B before and after treatment. Results: Significant improvement was observed in the post-treatment mean values of the measuring variables of groups A and B when compared with their pre-treatment results (p < .05). High significant improvement was observed in group B when comparing the post-treatment results of groups, A and B (p < .05). Conclusions: Pulsed electromagnetic field is an effective modality which can be used with the traditional methods for treatment of knee hemarthrosis in haemophilic adolescents.