1. Introduction
OA, Arthritis, cushioned shoes, knee osteoarthritis, pain, disability
ARTHRITIS, KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS, KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS
One of the recommendations for individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the use of specific footwear, such as sturdy or cushioned shoes. However, the long-term use effects of using cushioned shoes on the pain and spatiotemporal gait parameters in individuals with knee OA are yet to be reported. We therefore aimed to compare the efficacy of cushioned sport footwear versus sham shoes on motor functions, pain and gait characteristics of individuals with knee OA who used the shoes for 3 months. In a double-blinded study, we provided 26 individuals with knee OA with cushioned sport shoes and 12 individuals with knee OA with similar sport shoes without cushioning for 3 months. The gait analysis, the timed up and go (TUG) test and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) were conducted and the pain levels were measured at the baseline, 1 month, and 3 months after the baseline. We found that the cushioned shoes reduce the amount of pain (based on WOMAC) in the affected knee and increase functionality in the research group, but not in the control group. Gait velocity and cadence were increased in both groups. Gait spatiotemporal parameters and their symmetry were unaffected during the intervention. We conclude that the use of cushioned shoes should be recommended to individuals with knee OA for alleviating pain.Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a principal cause of disability in the adult population [As reviewed in [The literature shows that the efficacy of various soles and shoe designs for alleviating pain and promoting function in individuals with knee OA is controversial and depends on the design of the footwear. However, a survey of 204 individuals with knee OA reported that most of them did not receive professional advice from a podiatrist or physiotherapist regarding their footwear [