Effects of different traditional Chinese exercise for knee osteoarthritis patients: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

The most popular traditional Chinese exercise (TCE) techniques include Tai Chi, Yijinjing, Baduanjin, Wuqinxi, and Qigong. Exercise is advised as a primary treatment for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) according to clinical standards. According to several studies, TCE may be an effective way to help people with KOA manage their pain, stiffness, and physical function. Which TCE therapy is the most effective and whose particular usefulness is still debatable. The network meta-analysis (NMA) method is used in this study to evaluate and compare the effects of various TCE therapies on KOA patients. We will search PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, the Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), and the China Biology Medical Literature Database (CBM) for randomized controlled trials reporting TCE therapy for KOA patients published before October 25, 2023. The Stata 16.0 program will compare the effectiveness of various TCE therapies on KOA patients using conventional pairwise and NMA. The final 29 studies included 15 articles on Tai Chi, 7 articles on Baduanjin, 4 articles on Wuqinxi, and 3 articles on Yijinjing. Tai Chi was first for the effect sizes of VAS scores, WOMAC pain scores, and WOMAC available scores, while Baduanjin was ranked top for WOMAC stiffness scores. Research should continue to be conducted on the effect of Qigong on KOA intervention. This NMA will help determine the best TCE treatment for KOA and offer evidence-based bias for clinical decision-making.