Change in knee cartilage volume in individuals completing a therapeutic exercise program for knee osteoarthritis. Effects of disease severity on response to lateral wedged shoe insole for medial compartment knee osteoarthritis. The PICO project: aquatic exercise for knee osteoarthritis in overweight and obese individuals Prognostic factors in the outcome of supracondylar femoral osteotomy for lateral compartment osteoarthritis of the knee. Comparison of the efficacy of laterally wedged insoles and bespoke unloader knee orthoses in treating medial compartment knee osteoarthritis
STUDY DESIGN Prospect i ve cohort study . OBJECTIVES To characterize knee cartilage change in individuals with knee osteoarthritis ( KOA ) who have completed a therapeutic exercise program .  BACKGROUND While therapeutic exercise is frequently used successfully to improve pain and function in individuals with KOA , no studies have reported the volume of cartilage change or individual factors that may impact volume of cartilage change in those completing an exercise program  for KOA . METHODS Thirteen individuals with KOA underwent  magnetic resonance imaging to quantify cartilage volume change in the weight-bearing regions of the medial and lateral femoral condyles and the entire surface of the tibial plateaus from baseline to 1-year follow-up . Body structure and function measures were taken for body mass index , knee axis alignment , knee motion , and knee strength . Activity limitations and activity levels were also measured prior to the therapeutic exercise program , using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index and the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly . At 6 months from baseline , follow-up clinical measurements of knee strength and motion were performed . At 1 year from baseline , imaging of the knee cartilage and knee alignment were performed , and participants completed the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index and Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly . RESULTS The central region of the medial femoral condyle ( cMF ) had a median volume of cartilage loss of 3.8 % . The other 3 knee tibiofemoral articular surfaces had minimal median cartilage volume change . Individuals were dichotomized into progressors ( n = 6 ) and nonprogressors ( n = 7 ) , based on the st and ard error of measurement of cartilage volume change for the cMF . Progressors were younger , had a larger body mass index , had a higher Kellgren-Lawrence grade in the medial compartment of the knee , and had a greater increase in knee varus alignment from baseline to 1-year follow-up . The progressors also had frontal plane hip and knee kinetics during baseline gait analysis that potentially increased medial knee joint loading . CONCLUSION The loss of cMF cartilage volume was highly variable and the median loss of cartilage was within the range previously reported . Seven of the 13 individuals did not have cMF cartilage volume loss greater than the st and ard error of measurement . Change in cartilage volume of the cMF may be influenced to a greater extent by personal factors than by completion of a therapeutic exercise program . Additional research is needed to decipher the interactions among therapeutic exercise and personal characteristics that impact knee cartilage loss OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of lateral wedged insoles on knee kinetics and kinematics during walking , according to radiographic severity of medial compartment knee osteoarthritis ( OA ) . DESIGN A prospect i ve case control study of patients with medial compartment OA of the knee . SETTING Gait analysis laboratory in a university hospital . PARTICIPANTS Forty-six medial compartment knees with OA of 23 patients with bilateral disease and 38 knees of 19 age-matched healthy subjects as controls . INTERVENTIONS Not applicable . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES We measured the peak external adduction moment at the knee during the stance phase of gait and the first acceleration peak after heel strike at the lateral side of the femoral condyles .  Kellgren and Lawrence grading system was used for radiographic assessment of OA severity . RESULTS The mean value of peak external adduction moment of the knee was higher in OA knees than the control . Application of lateral wedged insoles significantly reduced the peak external adduction moment in Kellgren-Lawrence grade s I and II knee OA patients . The first acceleration peak value after heel strike in these patients was relatively high compared with the control . Application of lateral wedged insoles significantly reduced the first acceleration peak in Kellgren-Lawrence grade s I and II knee OA patients . CONCLUSIONS The kinetic and kinematic effects of wearing of lateral wedged insoles were significant in Kellgren-Lawrence grade s I and II knee OA . The results support the recommendation of use of lateral wedged insoles for patients with early and mild knee OA Background Aquatic exercise is recommended by the Osteoarthritis Research Society ( OARSI ) , by the American College of Rheumatology ( ACR ) and by the European League Against Rheumatism ( EULAR ) as a nonpharmacological method of controlling the knee osteoarthritis ( KOA ) symptoms . Moreover , given that weight loss results in a reduction of the load that is exerted upon the knee during daily activities , obesity is also considered to be a modifiable risk factor for the development and or exacerbation of KOA . The implementation of an exercise based weight loss program may , however , itself be limited by the symptoms of KOA . The aquatic program against osteoarthritis ( termed “ PICO ” in Portuguese ) prioritizes the control of symptoms and the recovery of functionality , with an attendant increase in the patient ’s physical activity level and , consequently , metabolic rate . Our laboratory is assessing the effectiveness of 3 months of PICO on the symptoms of KOA , on physical function , on quality of life and on gait . In addition , PICO shall examine the effects of said exercise intervention on inflammatory biomarkers , psychological health , life style and body composition . Methods / Design The trial is a prospect i ve , single-blinded , r and omized controlled trial , and involves 50 overweight and obese adults ( BMI = 28–43.5 kg/m2 ; age 40–65 yrs ) with radiographic KOA . The participants are r and omly allocated into either an educational attention ( control ) group or an aquatic ( exercise program ) group .  This paper describes the experimental protocol that is used in the PICO project . Discussion The PICO program shall provide insight into the effectiveness of an aquatic exercise program in the control of KOA symptoms and in the improvement of the quality of life . As such , they are likely to prove a useful reference to health professionals who intend to implement any kind of therapeutic intervention based around aquatic exercise . Trial registration NCT01832545 OBJECTIVE To identify the demographic and operative factors that determine outcome in supracondylar femoral osteotomy for lateral compartment osteoarthritis of the knee . DESIGN Clinical and radiologic review of a nonr and omized , consecutive one-surgeon series . SETTING A university-affiliated , elective surgical referral centre . PATIENTS Forty-nine consecutive patients with unicompartmental osteoarthritis of the knee , involving the lateral compartment , and of sufficient severity that the alternative surgical procedure would be total knee replacement . INTERVENTION Supracondylar varus osteotomy stabilized with a blade plate . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Knee function measured by the Knee Society Score and time to conversion to total knee replacement . RESULTS A Knee Society Score greater than 80 was obtained in 81 % of patients , but in the function portion of the measurement only 30 % had a similar score . After discarding the patients who died , life-table analysis demonstrated the predicted survival before conversion to total knee replacement to be 87 % at 7 years . There was no correlation with patient age or sex , femorotibial angulation , amount of correction or time after the intervention . Removal of the fixation device improved the clinical result . CONCLUSION The role of supracondylar femoral osteotomy remains poorly defined , but the procedure can delay total knee replacement for considerable time in appropriate patients Background : Patients suffering from medial compartment knee osteoarthritis ( OA ) may be treated with unloader knee orthoses or laterally wedged insoles . Objectives : The aim of this study was to identify and compare the effects of them on the gait parameters and pain in these patients . Study Design : Quasi-experimental . Methods : Volunteer subjects with medial compartment knee OA ( n = 24 , mean age 59.29 ± 2.23 years ) were r and omly assigned to two separate groups and evaluated when wearing an unloader knee orthosis or insoles incorporating a 6 ° lateral wedge . Testing was performed at baseline and after six weeks of each orthosis use . A visual analog scale score was used to assess pain and gait analysis was utilized to determine gait parameters . Results : Both orthoses improved all parameters compared to the baseline condition ( p = 0.000 ) . However , no significant differences in pain ( p = 0.649 ) , adduction moment ( p = 0.205 ) , speed of walking ( p = 0 . 056 ) or step length ( p = 0.687 ) were demonstrated between them . The knee range of motion ( p = 0.000 ) were significantly different between the two interventions . Conclusion : Both orthoses reduced knee pain . Maximum knee range of motion was increased by both interventions although it was 3 degrees less when wearing the knee orthosis . Clinical relevance Both orthoses reduce pain and improve gait anomalies in medial compartment knee OA . Our results suggest a laterally wedged insole can be an alternative conservative approach to unloader knee orthosis for treating symptoms of medial compartment knee OA
The majority of consistent gait deviations associated with KOA were exhibited by those with severe disease in the temporospatial domain .
There was a lack of evidence for alterations in the external knee adduction moment .
Individuals with KOA exhibit a range of gait deviations compared with controls .
Despite its common usage in KOA gait studies , we did not find consistent evidence that knee adduction moment differs between those with and without KOA or between disease severity levels .
OBJECTIVE To identify which gait deviations are consistently associated with knee osteoarthritis ( KOA ) and how these are influenced by disease severity , the involved compartment , and sex .