Does transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) effectively relieve pain and improve physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis compared to placebo TENS, and is it safe?
Osteoarthritis Cartilage · 2021 · PMID 34826572 · DOI 10.1016/j.joca.2021.10.015
TENS is not more effective than placebo for relieving knee pain in osteoarthritis and does not improve physical function.
The question
Does transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) effectively relieve pain and improve physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis compared to placebo TENS, and is it safe?
What they tested
The study implicitly hypothesizes that TENS will be more effective than placebo TENS in reducing knee pain and improving physical function, and will be safe.
How they did it
This was a multi-centre, parallel, 1:1 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. 220 participants with knee osteoarthritis were randomized to receive either TENS (n=108) or placebo TENS (n=112) for 3 weeks. The primary endpoint was knee pain at 3 weeks, assessed by the WOMAC pain subscale, with secondary outcomes including the WOMAC physical function subscale and safety.
What they found
There was no significant difference in WOMAC pain between TENS and placebo TENS at the end of treatment (mean difference -0.06; P = 0.74) or throughout the trial (P = 0.98). Subgroup analyses also showed no interaction between patient/treatment characteristics and treatment effect on pain. Adverse event rates were similar, with 10.4% in the TENS group and 10.6% in the placebo TENS group (P = 0.95). No relevant differences were observed in secondary outcomes.
| TENS Group | 10.4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Placebo TENS Group | 10.6 |
Percentage of patients reporting adverse events in the TENS and placebo TENS groups.
What it means
TENS does not improve knee osteoarthritis pain compared to placebo TENS. Therapists should consider alternative treatments for knee osteoarthritis pain and to facilitate exercise.
Limitations
The abstract does not explicitly state limitations of the study, but rather emphasizes the conclusiveness of its findings.
Where the published abstract does not list limitations, we say so rather than inventing them. Read the full paper on PubMed before drawing conclusions.
The paper at a glance
| Title | Effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on knee pain and physical function in osteoarthritis: a randomized clinical trial |
|---|---|
| Journal | Osteoarthritis Cartilage |
| Year | 2021 |
| PMID | 34826572 ↗ |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.joca.2021.10.015 ↗ |
| Topic | Pain, nerves & musculoskeletal medicine |
Read the source: PubMed record (authors, abstract, full citation) ↗ · Publisher via doi.org ↗
Where Magellan uses this paper
This citation sits behind the evidence grade on the pages below. Grades are set from the research and are independent of affiliate commissions.
TENS Pain-Relief Unit
Evidence on TENS is mixed but, on balance, supportive for short-term pain relief. The largest synthesis (381 randomized trials) found pain intensity lower during or immediately after TENS versus placebo, and randomized trials and meta-analyses report benefits for fibromyalgia, post-surgical pain (with reduced opioid…
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a non-invasive, portable method of pain relief in…
Research describes the compound or intervention studied. It is not a claim about any specific product.
Molecules & mechanisms in this paper
Each of these is named in the paper’s own words above. Open the monograph for the full mechanism and its other citations.
Cite this page
These citations point at this summary. To cite the original paper with its full author list, use the PubMed record or doi.org.
Magellan Longevity. (2026). Does transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) effectively relieve pain and improve physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis compared to placebo TENS, and is it safe? [Plain-English summary of Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2021, PMID 34826572, DOI 10.1016/j.joca.2021.10.015]. Magellan Longevity. https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d34826572.html@misc{magellan_d34826572,
title = {Does transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) effectively relieve pain and improve physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis compared to placebo TENS, and is it safe?},
author = {{Magellan Longevity}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d34826572.html}},
note = {Plain-English summary of PubMed PMID 34826572; DOI 10.1016/j.joca.2021.10.015; Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2021. Reviewed by Gabriel Radu, DO},
urldate = {2026-08-11}
}https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d34826572.htmlRelated studies in the Magellan library
- What is the efficacy and safety of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for pain…BMJ Open · 2022 · PMID 35144946
- Alpha-Ketoglutarate dietary supplementation to improve health in humansTrends in Endocrinology & Metabolism · 2021 · PMID 34952764
- Effectiveness and safety of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioid treatment for…BMJ · 2021 · PMID 34642179
- Effects of Gabapentin and Pregabalin on Calcium Homeostasis: Implications for Physical…Current Osteoporosis Reports · 2022 · PMID 36149592
- Self-Administered Acupressure for Chronic Low Back PainPain Med · 2019 · PMID 31237610
- Dietary supplements for treating osteoarthritisBr J Sports Med · 2018 · PMID 29018060
All 14 Magellan summaries on pain, nerves & musculoskeletal medicine →
Prefer the interactive version? Open this summary in the Magellan app → · Browse all 314 study summaries →