title: A unique foot-worn device for patients with degenerative meniscal tear.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the current study was to assess the effects of a new foot-worn device on the gait, physical function and pain in patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis (OA) who had a low-impact injury to the medial meniscus causing a degenerative meniscal tear.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of 34 patients with knee OA and a degenerative medial meniscal tear was performed. Patients underwent a gait evaluation, using an electronic walkway mat, and completed the SF-36 health survey and the WOMAC questionnaire at baseline and after 3 and 12 months of therapy. AposTherapy is a functional, biomechanical, non-invasive rehabilitation therapy consisting of a foot-worn device that is individually calibrated to each patient and is used during activities of daily living. Repeated-measures analyses were performed to compare gait parameters and self-evaluation questionnaires between baseline, and 3 and 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant improvements were found in gait velocity, step length and single-limb support of the involved knee following 12 weeks of therapy (all p < 0.01), alongside an improvement in limb symmetry. These results were maintained at the 12-month follow-up examination. Significant improvements were also found in all three domains of the WOMAC index (pain, stiffness and physical function) and in the SF-36 Physical Health Scale and the SF-36 Mental Health Scale (all p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with knee OA and a degenerative medial meniscal tear using a biomechanical foot-worn device for a year showed improvement in gait, physical function and pain. Based on the findings of this study, it can be postulated that this biomechanical device might have a positive effect on this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapeutic study, Level IV.
authors.affiliation: AposTherapy Research Group, Herzliya, Israel.
authors.forename: Avi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elbaz
authors.forename: Yiftah
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Beer
authors.forename: Ehud
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rath
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morag
authors.forename: Ganit
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Segal
authors.forename: Eytan M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Debbi
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wasser
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mor
authors.forename: Ronen
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Debi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D061826:Foot Orthoses; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries