title: Efficacy of a flexible orthotic device in patients with osteoporosis on pain and activity of daily living.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the efficacy of a flexible orthotic device in patients with osteoporosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Open observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients with osteoporosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  An open observational study was performed on 50 patients with osteoporosis in order to investigate the efficacy of a new osteoporosis orthotic device, which is an elastic back support with paravertebral air chamber pads. The outcome parameters were pain, activities of daily living, individual compliance and comfort. The observation period was approximately 2.5 months, and the orthotic device was worn continuously during daytime.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a highly significant reduction in pain under exertion from mean 6.1 (SD 1.7) to 4.5 (SD 1.4) (p < 0.00001), pain when driving (from 5.2 (SD 2.4) to 3.8 (SD 1.9) (p < 0.00001)), and pain at rest from 4.1 (SD 2.4) to 3.1 (SD 1.9) (p < 0.0001). About 50% of the patients judged their ability to perform everyday activities as "much better"or "better". If physiotherapy was interrupted upon onset of orthosis treatment, the results were significantly worse than in patients with continued physiotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This orthotic device could be a useful addition to the medical care of patients with osteoporosis and a complement to drug treatment and physiotherapy with regular exercises, which should be continued.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Hanover Medical School, Germany. fink.matthias@mh-hannover.de
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fink
authors.forename: Banu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kalpakcioglu
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karst
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bernateck
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome