Effect of combined kinesitherapy and functional magnetic stimulation in knee rehabilitation

Knee injuries and degenerative knee disorders are among the most common causes of pain, functional limitation, and reduced quality of life in the adult population. Modern rehabilitation concepts emphasize early restoration of function, pain reduction, and prevention of further joint damage. Kinesitherapy represents a fundamental component of the rehabilitation process, while in recent years Functional Magnetic Stimulation (FMS) has emerged as a promising non-invasive method for additional muscle activation and pain modulation. However, the evidence on the effects of their combined application in knee rehabilitation is still limited. The aim is to evaluate the effect of combined application of kinesitherapy and functional magnetic stimulation in knee rehabilitation, compared to kinesitherapy alone. The study included 20 patients aged 35–65 years with impaired knee function of various etiologies (post-traumatic, degenerative). The participants were randomly divided into two groups: an experimental group (n = 10), which received combined kinesitherapy and FMS, and a control group (n = 10), which underwent kinesitherapy only. The treatment lasted 6 weeks, with 3 sessions per week. Outcome measures were assessed at baseline and after the completion of the treatment and included: pain intensity using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), range of motion of the knee joint measured by goniometry, muscle strength of the quadriceps and hamstrings evaluated with manual muscle testing, and functional capacity assessed by standardized functional tests for the lower extremity.Both groups showed statistically significant improvement in pain reduction, range of motion, muscle strength, and functional performance after the rehabilitation program. However, the experimental group that received combined kinesitherapy and FMS demonstrated more pronounced improvements in pain reduction (lower VAS scores), greater increase in the range of motion, and higher gains in muscle strength and functional capacity compared to the control group.The combined application of kinesitherapy and functional magnetic stimulation in knee rehabilitation provides superior clinical outcomes compared to kinesitherapy alone. This integrated approach contributes to faster and more effective pain reduction, improvement of joint mobility, muscle strength, and functional independence. The obtained results support the inclusion of FMS as an additional modality in comprehensive rehabilitation protocols for patients with impaired knee function. Further studies with larger samples and longer follow-up are recommended to confirm and expand these findings.
Keywords:knee rehabilitation, kinesitherapy, functional magnetic stimulation, pain, muscle strength.