title: How accurate are lockable orthotic knee braces? An objective gait analysis study.
abstract: There has been an increasing use of orthotic knee braces in the management of knee injuries but, to our knowledge, there is no gait analysis study assessing the accuracy of these braces. Eight healthy male subjects were studied to determine the accuracy of immobilisation or splintage provided by a lockable orthotic knee brace using gait analysis. Six types of immobilisation were studied: locked at 0, 10, 20, 30 degrees and unlocked in an orthotic knee brace, and without a brace. The knee flexion angles measured using the kinematic instruments at 0 and 10 degrees were significantly greater than those set at the knee brace. The knee flexion angle measured using the unlocked knee brace was significantly greater than that measured in the absence of a brace. This study highlights inaccuracies in a knee brace at low knee flexion angles. The higher actual angles alter the biomechanics of the knee joint and result in greater forces across the knee joint and especially the extensor mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport, UK. wasimkhan@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nokes
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001915:Braces; D004867:Equipment Design; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology