Efficacy of Tuina on pain, functional activity, muscle strength and brain activity for patients with knee osteoarthritis in Shanghai: a randomised controlled trial protocol

Introduction: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common degenerative joint disease characterised by knee joint pain, functional impairment and muscle fatigue. Tuina is widely used in the treatment of KOA and has great potential in relieving pain and functional disorders. However, there is still a lack of sufficient evidence on the clinical effects of Tuina in treating KOA pain, functional activity, muscle strength and brain activity. This randomised controlled trial aims to evaluate the clinical analgesic effects and safety profile of Tuina for KOA patients, while elucidating its mechanistic basis through multimodal neuroimaging and biomechanical assessments to establish evidence-based support for Tuina.