Dynamic activity of unloader knee braces in genu varum subjects: New insights to improve compliance in medial knee osteoarthritis patients?

Unloader Braces for Medial Compartment Knee Osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND For persons with unicompartment knee osteoarthritis (OA), off-unloader braces are a mechanical intervention designed to reduce pain, improve physical function, and possibly slow disease progression. Pain relief is thought to be mediated by distracting the involved compartment via external varus or valgus forces applied to the knee. In so doing, tibiofemoral alignment is improved, and...

A novel method to analyze the mechanics of unloader braces for medial knee osteoarthritis

Marcus Brown Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada Background Bracing is a treatment option for medial knee osteoarthritis [1] that unloads the medial knee through the application of an external moment (brace moment) [2]. In theory, the brace moment is designed to reduce the total external adduction moment, as disease severity and external addu...

Unloader Braces for Medial Compartment Knee Osteoarthritis: Implications on Mediating Progression

Kinematic and Kinetic Changes with Valgus Unloader Braces in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis

INTRODUCTION Valgus unloader knee braces (VUB) are designed to decrease medial compartment knee loading and are effective at improving the clinical status of patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) [1]. Whether medial comparment unloading is a consistent result of VUB or whether other kinematic and kinetic alterations occur while the VUB is worn during gait requires further exploration. The purp...

Neuromuscular Changes Associated with Valgus Unloader Braces in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis

INTRODUCTION Valgus knee braces are effective at decreasing pain and improving function in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) [1]. The braces are designed to decrease loading in the medial knee compartment but previous studies are unclear if this truly occurs. Alternatively, changes in the neuromuscular system might account for the benefits of bracing. An earlier study with a small sample d...