Efficacy of therapeutic ultrasound vs sham ultrasound on pain and physical function in people with knee osteoarthritis: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Table 1 Example search strategy: Strategy used to search the OVID Medline electronic database (January 1, 2009 to September 5 2013)

1	Exp Osteoarthritis/
2	osteoarthr$.ti,ab,sh.
3	gonarthr$.ti,ab,sh.
4	coxarthr$.ti,ab,sh.
5	arthr$.ti,ab.
6	[(knee$ or hip$ or joint$) adj3 (pain$ or ach$ or discomfort$)].ti,ab.
7	[(knee$ or hip$ or joint$) adj3 stiff$].ti,ab.
8	Exp Ultrasonic Therapy/
9	Exp Ultrasonography/
10	us.fs.
11	(ultrasound$ or ultrasonic$).tw.
12	short wave therapy.tw.
13	ultrasonograph$.tw.
14	randomized controlled trial.pt.
15	controlled clinical trial.pt.
16	randomized controlled trial.sh.
17	random allocation.sh.
18	double blind method.sh.
19	single blind method.sh.
20	clinical trial.pt.
21	Exp Clinical Trial/
22	(clin$ adj25 trial$).ti,ab.
23	[(singl$ or doubl$ or trebl$ or tripl$) adj25 (blind$ or mask$)].ti,ab.
24	placebos.sh.
25	placebo$.ti,ab.
26	random$.ti,ab.
27	research design.sh.
28	comparative study.sh.
29	exp evaluation studies/
30	follow up studies.sh.
31	prospective studies.sh.
32	(control$ or prospectiv$ or volunteer$).ti,ab.
33	1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7
34	8 or 9 or 10 or 11 or 12 or 13
35	14 or 15 or 16 or 17 or 18 or 19 or 20 or 21 or 22 or 23 or 24 or 25 or 26 or 27 or 28 or 29 or 30 or 31 or 32
36	33 and 34 and 35
37	animal/
38	animal/ and human/
39	37 not 38
40	36 not 39
41	Limit 40 to yr = ”2009-Current”