The Effects of Interferential Therapy for Industrial Workers in Case of Plantar Fasciitis

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Investigating the Pain-Relieving Effect of Interferential Current on Musculoskeletal Pain

“…A total of 19 trials were included in the current metaanalysis (flow chart). 11,48,52,53,56,57,[60][61][62][63]65,68,71,73,74,[77][78][79][80] They included a total sample size of 1167 subjects.…”

“…All the included trials provided the data needed for the comparisons (mean and SD); the intensity of pain was measured using VAS in 14 trials, 11,52,53,56,61,62,65,68,71,73,74,77,78,80 whereas 5 trials used NRS. 48,57,60,63,79 For homogeneity, the analyzed trials were subgrouped into four categories: (1) those that compared IFC alone to placebo intervention 56,63 ; (2) trials comparing IFC plus other interventions versus placebo plus other interventions 11,48,57 ; (3) trials comparing two parallel interventions, one of which was IFC 52,62,65,68,74,77 ; and (4) trials investigating the effect of adding IFC to a standard treatment versus the standard treatment alone.…”

“…48,57,60,63,79 For homogeneity, the analyzed trials were subgrouped into four categories: (1) those that compared IFC alone to placebo intervention 56,63 ; (2) trials comparing IFC plus other interventions versus placebo plus other interventions 11,48,57 ; (3) trials comparing two parallel interventions, one of which was IFC 52,62,65,68,74,77 ; and (4) trials investigating the effect of adding IFC to a standard treatment versus the standard treatment alone. 53,60,61,71,73,[78][79][80] Four trials did not join the meta-analysis because of a lack of required data. 50,58,69,75 Interferential current was introduced as a part of the standard treatments in five trials.…”

“…These studies investigated the pain-reducing effect of IFC on different diagnoses. Low back pain (LBP) was investigated in 14 trials (41%), 30,34,[48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59] shoulder problems in seven trials (20%), 11,27,[60][61][62][63][64] knee pain in six trials (17%), [65][66][67][68][69][70] neck pain in five trials (14%), 64,[71][72][73][74] lumbar discogenic pain in two trials (8%), 75,76 and carpal tunnel syndrome 77 and planter fasciitis 78 were each investigated in a single trial.…”

“…The additive effect of IFC on musculoskeletal pain was compared against standard treatment in eight trials included in the current analysis. Three, 60,71,73 four, 53,61,79,80 and one 78 trials were of a high, medium, and low quality, respectively. Six 53,61,71,73,78,80 of the eight trials assessed pain intensity using VAS, whereas NRS was used by the other two trials.…”