Efficacy of Manual Therapy for Knee Meniscus Injuries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of manual therapy for knee meniscus injuries. Methods We searched seven electronic databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, CAJ, Wanfang, RISS, ScienceON, and OASIS) to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using the keywords “manual therapy OR chuna OR tuina” and “meniscus injury.” Results Eleven RCTs were selected based on the inclusion criteria, and all studies were conducted in China. Five studies were meta-analyzed. The systematic review revealed a positive effect of manual therapy for knee meniscus injury. Low risk of selection, attrition, and reporting bias were demonstrated in all studies. Ten studies had a high risk of performance bias. Conclusions The systematic review reported favorable results using manual therapy for knee meniscus injury. However, this study has several limitations because of the high risk of bias. Further clinical studies and reviews with higher levels of evidence are warranted.