THE EFFECTS OF THERAPEUTIC TOUCH ON PATIENTS WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE KNEE

BACKGROUND. The purpose of this study was to determine if therapeutic touch, an alternative medicine modality, is effective in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. METHODS. A single-blinded randomized c ontrol trial was conducted in a family practice center of a community hospital family practice residency program in Pennsylvania. The patien ts were between the ages of 40 and 80, had been given a diagnosis of o steoarthritis of at least one knee, had not had knee replacement, and had no other connective tissue disease. The patients were randomized t o therapeutic touch, mock therapeutic touch, or standard care. The mai n outcome measures were pain and its impact, general well-being, and h ealth status measured by standardized, validated instruments, as well as the qualitative measurement of a Depth interview. RESULTS. Twenty-f ive patients completed the study. The treatment group had significantl y decreased pain and improved function as compared with the placebo an d control groups. The qualitative Depth interview confirmed this resul t. CONCLUSION. Despite the small numbers, significant differences were found in improvement in function and pain for patients receiving ther apeutic touch. A larger study is needed to confirm these results. Alte rnative therapies can neither be accepted nor rejected without being s ubjected to the scientific method.