title: Medial arch supports do not significantly alter the knee adduction moment in people with knee osteoarthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate the immediate effects of medial arch supports on indices of medial knee joint load (the peak external knee adduction moment (KAM) and knee adduction angular (KAA) impulse) and knee pain during walking in people with medial knee osteoarthritis (OA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one people with medial compartment OA underwent gait analysis in standardised athletic shoes wearing (1) no medial arch supports and (2) prefabricated medial arch supports, in random order. Outcomes were the first and second peaks in the external KAM, the KAA impulse and severity of knee pain during testing. Outcomes were compared across conditions using paired t tests (gait data) and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test (pain data).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant changes in either first or second peak KAM, or in the KAA impulse, with the addition of medial arch supports (all P > 0.05). Considerable individual variation in response to the arch supports was observed across participants. There was no immediate change in knee pain during walking when medial arch supports were worn (P = 0.56).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed no mean change in any of the measured indices of medial knee load with medial arch supports. No immediate changes in knee pain were evident.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ranash@unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Hinman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bardin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simic
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Bennell
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D061826:Foot Orthoses / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010146:Pain; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology; D016474:Weight-Bearing