A Randomized Trial of Physical Therapy for Meniscal Tear and Knee Pain
Authors' conclusion
For patients with degenerative meniscal tear and knee pain, the addition of physical therapy or text messages to encourage adherence to home exercises was not superior in reducing pain to a home-exercise program alone.
Study context
- Population
- Participants 45 to 85 years of age with knee pain, OA, and meniscal tearmean age 59.2±7.8 years
- Participants
- 879 participants
- Comparison
- Home exercise alone vs home exercise plus text messages, plus sham PT, or plus standard PT
- Primary endpoint
- Change in KOOS pain subscore (0 to 100, higher scores more pain), adjusted for trial site, baseline KOOS pain subscore, and radiographic grade
- Follow-up
- 3 months
Methodological detailsfour-group, sham-controlled
- Four-group
- Sham-controlled
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
3-month change in KOOS pain subscore
Difference, points (98.3% CI)
Home exercisevs Home exercise + text messages
−0.1(−3.8 to 3.7)
Home exercisevs Home exercise + text messages + standard PT
2.5(−1.3 to 6.2)
Home exercise + text messagesvs Home exercise + text messages + standard PT
2.5(−1.4 to 6.5)
Safety
Adverse events
- Generally nonserious and evenly distributed overall across groups
Original publication
A Randomized Trial of Physical Therapy for Meniscal Tear and Knee Pain. N Engl J Med. Published 30 October 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →