Valgus bracing in patients with medial compartment osteoarthritis of the knee: a gait analysis study of a new brace (original) (raw)
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Identification of good candidates for valgus bracing as a treatment for medial knee osteoarthritis
Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 2017
Valgus unloader braces are a conservative treatment option for medial compartment knee osteoarthritis that aim to unload the damaged medial compartment through application of an external abduction moment. Patient response to bracing is highly variable, however. While some experience improvements in pain, function, and joint loading, others receive little to no benefit. The objective of this work was to analyze clinical measures and biomechanical characteristics of unbraced walking to identify variables that are associated with the mechanical effectiveness of valgus unloader bracing. Seventeen patients with medial knee osteoarthritis walked overground with and without a valgus unloader brace. A musculoskeletal model was used to estimate the contact forces in the medial compartment of the tibiofemoral joint and brace effectiveness was defined as the decrease in peak medial contact force between unbraced and braced conditions. Stepwise linear regression was used to identify clinical and biomechanical measures that predicted brace effectiveness. The final regression model explained 77% of the variance in brace effectiveness using two variables. Bracing was more effective for those with greater peak external hip adduction moments and for those with higher Kellgren-Lawrence grades, indicating more severe radiographic osteoarthritis. The hip adduction moment was the best predictor of brace effectiveness and was well correlated with several other measures indicating that it may be functioning as a "biomarker" for good bracing candidates. Clinical Significance: The ability to predict good candidates for valgus bracing may improve issues of patient compliance and could enable the ability to train patients to respond better to bracing.
Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery - British Volume, 2005
In this cross-over study, we evaluated two types of knee brace commonly used in the conservative treatment of osteoarthritis of the medial compartment. Twelve patients confirmed radiologically as having unilateral osteoarthritis of the medial compartment (Larsen grade 2 to grade 4) were studied. Treatment with a simple hinged brace was compared with that using a valgus corrective brace. Knee kinematics, ground reaction forces, pain and function were assessed during walking and the Hospital for Special Surgery scores were also determined. Significant improvements in pain, function, and loading and propulsive forces were seen with the valgus brace. Treatment with a simple brace showed only significant improvements in loading forces. Our findings suggest that although both braces improved confidence and function during gait, the valgus brace showed greater benefit.
Biomechanical effects of valgus knee bracing: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Osteoarthritis and cartilage / OARS, Osteoarthritis Research Society, 2015
To review and synthesize the biomechanical effects of valgus knee bracing for patients with medial knee osteoarthritis (OA). Electronic databases were searched from their inception to May 2014. Two reviewers independently determined study eligibility, rated study quality and extracted data. Where possible, data were combined into meta-analyses and pooled estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for standardized mean differences (SMD) were calculated. Thirty studies were included with 478 subjects tested while using a valgus knee brace. Various biomechanical methods suggested valgus braces can decrease direct measures of medial knee compressive force, indirect measures representing the mediolateral distribution of load across the knee, quadriceps/hamstring and quadriceps/gastrocnemius co-contraction ratios, and increase medial joint space during gait. Meta-analysis from 17 studies suggested a statistically significant decrease in the external knee adduction moment (KAM) during wa...
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 2021
Background The Knee valgus brace is one of the accepted conservative interventions for patients with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis to correct the knee varus and increase functional activity level. Nevertheless, comprehensive overview of the effects of using this brace on self-reported pain activity level over time is not available. Thus, this study aimed to systematically review the effect of using this brace on pain and activity levels in the last 20 years in patients with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis. Methods Five databases were searched to find articles from the year 2000 to the end of November 2020: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Two reviewers independently evaluated the available articles for eligibility and assessed quality. The risk of bias in each study was assessed by two reviewers independently according to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology tool ...
Background: Evidence that knee braces used for the treatment of osteoarthritis mediate pain relief and improve function by unloading the joint (increasing the joint separation) remains inconclusive. Alternatively, valgus-producing braces may mediate pain relief by mechanically stabilizing the joint and reducing muscle cocontractions and joint compression. In this study, therefore, we sought to examine the degree to which so-called unloader braces control knee instability and influence muscle cocontractions during gait.
Valgus Bracing for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials
Arthritis Care & Research, 2015
Objective. To evaluate the effects of valgus knee bracing on pain and function, and compliance and complications, in patients with medial knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that compared changes in patient-reported pain and/or function in patients with medial knee OA was performed. Seven databases were searched from their inception to January 2014. Two reviewers independently determined study eligibility, rated risk of bias, and extracted data. Pooled estimates and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for standardized mean differences (SMDs) for the improvement in pain (and function) were calculated. Event rates (proportions) were calculated for studies that reported complications. Results. Six studies were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, there was a statistically significant difference favoring the valgus brace group for improvement in pain (SMD 0.33 [95% CI 0.13, 0.52], P ؍ 0.001) and function (SMD 0.22 [95% CI 0.02, 0.41], P ؍ 0.03). When compared to a control group that did not use an orthosis, the effect size was moderate for pain (SMD 0.56 [95% CI 0.03, 1.09], P ؍ 0.04) and function (SMD 0.48 [95% CI 0.02, 0.95], P ؍ 0.04). When compared to a control group that used a control orthosis, only a small, statistically significant effect for pain remained (SMD 0.33 [95% CI 0.08, 0.58], P ؍ 0.01). Instructions for brace use varied considerably and compliance ranged from 45% to 100%. Up to 25% of patients reported minor complications with brace use. Conclusion. Meta-analysis of randomized trials suggests valgus bracing for medial knee OA results in small-to-moderate improvements in pain. Effect sizes vary based on study design and warrant future research.
Gait & posture, 2017
Osteoarthritis progression can be related to the external knee adduction and flexion moments during walking. Lateral foot wedges and knee braces have been used as treatment for osteoarthritis, but little is known about their influence on knee joint moments generated in the sagittal and frontal planes. Therefore, the aim of the present study was determine the effects of the isolated and combined use of valgus knee brace and lateral wedge foot orthotic on peak forces and moments during gait in knee osteoarthritis patients. Twenty four males (age: 62.1±2.0years) with varus alignment, symptomatic medial compartment knee osteoarthritis participated in this study. Subjects walked over ground at preferred speed in four conditions: (1) no assistive device (control); (2) using lateral wedges, (3) using knee braces, and (4) using both lateral wedges and knee braces. Ground reaction forces (GRF) and moments, as well as lower limb kinematics were recorded. Peak GRF, vertical loading rate, free ...
The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American), 2007
Background-Evidence that knee braces used for the treatment of osteoarthritis mediate pain relief and improve function by unloading the joint (increased joint separation) remains inconclusive. Alternatively, valgus braces may mediate pain relief by mechanically stabilizing the joint and reducing muscle co-contractions and joint compression. This study therefore sought to examine the degree to which unloader knee braces control knee instability and influence muscle co-contractions during gait. Methods-Sixteen subjects with radiographic evidence of medial compartment knee osteoarthritis and malalignment were recruited and fitted with a custom Generation II Unloader Brace. Gait analysis was performed with the knee unbraced and with the brace in neutral alignment and 4° valgus. A two week washout period separated brace conditions. Muscle cocontraction indices were derived for agonist and antagonist muscle pairings. Pain, instability and functional status were assessed using self-report questionnaires. Repeated-measures ANOVA's, correlations and regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. Results-The scores for pain, function and stability were worst when the knee was unsupported (baseline and washout). At baseline, 9 of 16 subjects reported knee instability, of which 5 complained it affected activities of daily living. Poor knee stability was significantly correlated with decreased activities of daily living, quality of life, global knee function and higher pain and symptoms. Knee function and stability scored highest with the neutral brace compared to the valgus brace. Vastus lateralis-lateral hamstring and vastus medialis-medial hamstring muscle cocontractions were significantly reduced as a result of bracing. Subjects with greater varus alignment exhibited greater decreases in vastus lateralis-lateral hamstrings co-contraction. Conclusion-Neutral alignment performed as well or better than valgus alignment, in reducing pain, disability, muscle co-contraction, and knee adduction excursions. Pain relief may result from diminished muscle co-contractions rather than so called medial compartment unloading.