Article

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether a knee brace incorporating inflatable air
bladders can alter the net peak external knee adduction moment in persons with
medial compartment knee osteoarthritis. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study.
SETTING: Motion analysis laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Subjects (n = 18) diagnosed
with knee osteoarthritis as defined by the Diagnostic and Therapeutic Criteria
Committee of the American Rheumatism Association. METHODS: Instrumented gait
analysis was performed while subjects walked with and without the knee brace.
When subjects wore the knee brace, the air bladders were either uninflated or
inflated to 7 psi. The net external knee adduction moment was obtained by
subtracting the abduction moment produced by the knee brace (estimated using a
finite element analysis model) from the external knee adduction moment (estimated
using a camera-based motion analysis system). MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: The net
external knee adduction moment was compared across all testing conditions.
RESULTS: A 7.6% decrease in net peak external knee adduction moment was observed
when subjects wore the knee brace uninflated compared with when they did not wear
the brace. Inflation of the bladders to 7 psi led to a 26.0% decrease in net peak
external knee adduction moment. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study suggest
that the effects of an unloading knee brace may be enhanced by incorporating
inflatable air bladders into the design of the brace, thus leading to an improved
correction of the excessive peak external knee adduction moment observed in
patients with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis.
CI - Copyright (c) 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Langue : ANGLAIS