Effects of Therapeutic Ultrasound with Exercise, and High Intensity Laser Therapy with Exercise on Pain in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Comparative Study

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is among the most prevalent musculoskeletal conditions, producing chronic pain and functional limitations and affecting nearly one-third of adults aged 65 years and above. Pain remains the primary driver of disability. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of therapeutic ultrasound (TUS) combined with exercise and high-intensity laser therapy (HILT) combined with exercise in alleviating pain in individuals with KOA. METHODS: A total of 160 male and female patients, aged 45–70 years and meeting predefined eligibility criteria, were randomly recruited from healthcare facilities including PMCH, Udaipur, and various physiotherapy clinics across Udaipur city, Rajasthan. RESULTS: Analysis revealed significant reductions in pain scores (Grade 2, Grade 3, and combined Grades 2 & 3) in both treatment arms after 15, 30, and 45 days of intervention. However, patients receiving HILT showed a greater decrease in pain scores at each time point compared to those treated with TUS. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that high-intensity laser therapy demonstrates statistically superior efficacy over therapeutic ultrasound in reducing pain associated with knee osteoarthritis. Key words: Knee osteoarthritis; therapeutic ultrasound; high-intensity laser therapy; exercise; pain.