TITLE:
The Effects of an Unloading Knee Brace and Insole with Subtalar Strapping for Medial Osteoarthritis of the Knee
AUTHORS:
Masataka Deie, Hayatoshi Shibuya, Minoru Toriyama, Nobuyuki Kumahashi, Yuji Uchio, Yoshiaki Sasashige, Mitsuo Ochi
KEYWORDS:
Medial Osteoarthritis; Insole; Functional Brace; Knee Varus Moment; Gait Analysis
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Clinical Medicine,
Vol.4 No.12B,
December
27,
2013
ABSTRACT: Objectives: We evaluated whether a valgus knee brace
and an insole with subtalar strapping could reduce pain and improve functional scores over 12 months
in patients with medial knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: OA was confirmed
by radiography in all patients, who were divided into three groups: exercise (n = 44), insole (n = 55), and brace
(n = 19). Clinical knee
functions and gait analyses were evaluated. Results: After 12 months, the clinical results
for all groups had improved compared to pretreatment findings. Although the
knee varus moment decreased and the gait speed increased when the insole was worn
initially, the effects of the insole decreased at 6 and 12 months. In contrast,
the knee varus moment decreased and the gait speed increased when the brace was
initially fitted. The effects of the brace were maintained during the 12
months. Conclusions: The insole was effective for patients
with Kellgren-Lawrence Grades II and III, and the knee brace was effective for
patients with Grades III
and IV conditions. Furthermore, the knee brace was more effective when worn for
more than 6 months, while the effects of the insoles were not continuous.