Trial reportClinical rheumatology2026
Radial shockwave therapy versus short-wave diathermy for pain, neuromechanical, and functional outcomes in older adults with lumbar spondylosis: a randomized controlled trial.
Trial report in Clinical rheumatology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundLumbar spondylosis is a common degenerative condition in older adults, leading to chronic low back pain, spinal stiffness, and functional limitation. This study compared radial shockwave therapy (RSWT) and short-wave diathermy (SWD) for pain and lumbar function in older adults with lumbar spondylosis.
methodsThirty participants aged ≥60 years were randomized to RSWT (n = 15) or SWD (n = 15). Both groups received eight sessions over four weeks, twice weekly, with identical standardized adjunctive co-interventions consisting of superficial heat and home-based lumbar and hamstring stretching. Pain intensity, pressure pain threshold (PPT), lumbar range of motion (ROM), and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were assessed at baseline and weekly after treatment. Data were analyzed using mixed ANCOVA with baseline adjustment and Bonferroni post hoc tests.
resultsBoth interventions reduced pain after four weeks (p < 0.05). RSWT showed a significant within-group increase in PPT and a transient between-group advantage at week 2 (p = 0.049). RSWT produced greater improvement in lumbar flexion ROM, with significant time, group, and Group × Time effects (p < 0.05). ODI improved in both groups, with a significant Group × Time interaction (p = 0.014).
conclusionRSWT may provide additional short-term benefits over SWD for selected outcomes, particularly pressure pain sensitivity, lumbar flexion mobility, and disability trajectory. However, both modalities reduced pain, and between-group superiority should be interpreted cautiously because not all outcomes showed significant Group × Time effects. Key Points • Both RSWT and SWD reduced pain; RSWT showed increased PPT with a transient between-group advantage only at week 2 follow-up. • RSWT improved lumbar flexion ROM most clearly; extension and rotation mainly reflected stable between-group differences. • Disability improved in both groups, with a Group × Time interaction favoring the ODI improvement trajectory in RSWT. • RSWT may be a feasible adjunct for older adults with lumbar spondylosis after screening contraindications and fracture risk.
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