Acupuncture-like TENS more beneficial after knee replacement

Acupuncture-like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (AL-TENS) is more beneficial than TENS for patients following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Conventional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) uses high frequency (10–250 Hz) electrical current to produce a ‘strong but comfortable’ paraesthesia at the site of pain, while AL-TENS uses low frequency (1–10 Hz) current to induce forceful, but non-painful phasic muscle contractions. Korean researchers randomly assigned 30 patients who had undergone TK to either TENS or AL-TENS. Each group received treatment at points selected for knee pain for 30 minutes per visit, five times per week, over two weeks. Changes in pain, knee function, knee mobility, and inflammation between baseline and post-intervention were statistically significant for both groups. Changes in pain, stiffness, and inflammation between baseline and post-intervention were significantly greater in the AL-TENS group compared with the TENS group.

Acupuncture-like Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation for Pain, Function, and Biochemical Inflammation After Total Knee Arthroplasty. Altern Ther Health Med. 2021 Jan;27(1):28-34.