title: Kinetic and kinematic changes with the use of valgus knee brace and lateral wedge insoles in patients with medial knee osteoarthritis.
abstract: The effect of a valgus knee brace and a lateral wedged insole on knee and ankle kinematics and kinetics was evaluated in ten patients with medial knee osteoarthritis (OA). The knee orthosis was tested in two valgus adjustments (4° and 8°), and the laterally wedged insole was fabricated with an inclination of 4°. A motion capture system and force platforms were used for data collection and joint moments were calculated using inverse dynamics. The valgus moment applied by the orthosis was also measured using a strain gauge implemented in the orthosis' rotational axis. For the second peak knee adduction moment, decreases of 18%, 21%, and 7% were observed between baseline and test conditions for the orthosis in 4° valgus, in 8° valgus, and insole, respectively. Similar decreases were observed for knee lever arm in the frontal plane. Knee adduction angular impulse decreased 14%, 18%, and 7% from baseline to conditions for the orthosis in 4° valgus, in 8° valgus, and insole, respectively. Knee angle in the frontal plane reached a more valgus position during gait using the valgus knee brace. The valgus moment applied by the orthosis with 8° valgus adjustment was 30% higher than with 4° valgus adjustment. The valgus knee orthosis was more effective than the laterally wedged insole in reducing knee adduction moment in patients with medial knee OA.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomechanics and Orthopaedics, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933 Köln, Germany. c.fantini@dshs-koeln.de
authors.forename: Cynthia H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Fantini Pagani
authors.forename: Maren
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hinrichs
authors.forename: Gert-Peter
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Brüggemann
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000502:physiology; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D001915:Braces; D005260:Female; D056304:Genu Valgum / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012775:Shoes