Effect of CounterForce brace on symptomatic relief in a group of patients with symptomatic unicompartmental osteoarthritis: a prospective 2-year investigation.
We investigated the effect of the CounterForce brace (Breg, Inc, Vista, Calif) on symptomatic relief in a group of 30 patients who had symptomatic unicompartmental osteoarthritis and who had undergone at least 6 months of conservative treatment without resolution of symptoms. After 8 weeks of brace use, the majority of patients reported statistically significant improvements-substantial reduction in pain, increase in ability to work and to engage in activities of daily living, and substantial reduction in use of oral pain medication. At long-term follow-up (mean, 2.7 years), 41% of 29 patients were still using the brace, 35% had stopped using the brace (for a variety of reasons), and 24% had undergone arthroplasty.
Orthopedic Specialists, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
C Lowry
CL
Barnes
Patrick W
PW
Cawley
Blair
B
Hederman
D001915:Braces; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies