Cabbage Leaf Application in Knee Osteoarthritis

Enrolling by invitation · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Knee Osteoarthritis, Pain

In brief

Among non-pharmacological treatment methods, herbal therapies are widely used, and cabbage leaves are recognized for their analgesic and anti-edematous effects. Previous studies indicate that patients often use cabbage leaves for breast engorgement and joint pain, and their strong antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties have been demonstrated. This study aims to examine the effects of cabbage leaf application on pain, physical function, and quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis. This research is designed as an experimental, mixed-method, randomized controlled trial with a pretest-posttest structure. It will be conducted at the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation outpatient clinic and inpatient units of Şırnak State Hospital between 01.08.2025 and 01.08.2026. A total of 90 patients will be included and randomly assigned to three groups of 30 participants: those receiving room-temperature cabbage leaf application (Experimental Group 1), those receiving traditionally prepared cabbage leaf application (Experimental Group 2), and those receiving no cabbage leaf application (Control Group). Data will be collected using the Patient Information Form, A-VAS, WOMAC, and the Mini-OAKHQoL-TR Scale. Experimental groups will receive a daily 2-hour cabbage leaf application for 4 weeks, while the control group will receive routine care only. Measurements will be conducted at weeks 1 and 4. Data will be analyzed using SPSS 22.0. Descriptive statistics will summarize the sample. Normality will be tested with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. For normally distributed data, independent t-test, paired t-test, ANOVA, and ANCOVA will be used; for non-normal data, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H, Wilcoxon signed-rank, and Friedman tests will be applied. This study aims to contribute evidence supporting non-pharmacological interventions as alternative or complementary approaches in managing joint and knee pain. Such applications may help reduce healthcare costs, decrease hospitalization rates, improve accessibility, save time, and provide an economical therapeutic option within clinical practice.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07318116

Run by

Inonu University

People needed

90

Starts

2025-11-10

Expected to finish

2026-02-25

Last updated by the study team

2026-02-04

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 80. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Experiencing knee pain due to osteoarthritis for at least 6 months
• Diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis by a physician according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria
• Having a pain score of 4 or higher on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
• Aged 18 years or older
• No allergy to cabbage or other herbal products
• Able to speak Turkish and having no communication difficulties
• Volunteering to participate in the study

You may not qualify if…

• Those with poor mental status
• Those using pain-relieving medication during the cabbage leaf application period
• Those with a history of surgical operation on the application area (knee region) within the past year
• Those with infection, wounds, cellulitis, or skin disease in the application area
• Those with any peripheral vascular disease in the application area
• Those who have experienced significant knee trauma within the past six months
• Those who have received intra-articular steroid injections within the past six months
• Those with inflammatory joint disease
• Those who developed knee osteoarthritis due to injury or infection
• Those with pain related to secondary arthritis (e.g., post-traumatic or inflammatory arthritis)
• Those with asthma, liver, or kidney disease
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women
• Those with psychological or physical disorders
• Those with physical disabilities in the lower extremities
• Patients who do not agree to participate in the study will not be included in the sample.

Where it is running

• Şirnak State Hospital — Şirnak, Merkez, Turkey (Türkiye)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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