Effectiveness of knee braces for knee osteoarthritis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Comparison of the effectiveness of two knee braces to improve symptoms, biomechanics and daily life in medial knee osteoarthritis.
IRAS ID
207177
Contact name
Yoann Dessery
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Peacocks Medical Group
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
U1111-1184-5914 , Universal Trial Number (UTN)
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 30 days
Research summary
Around 250 millions of people in the world (3.8%) have knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Due to aging and increasing obesity, the prevalence of KOA is expected to increase in the developed country in the next 20 years. KOA decreases quality of life of patients through chronic pain, joint stiffness, and reduced social activity, which influence emotional wellness as well. KOA has also impact on the biomechanics of the lower limbs, leading or amplifying the tibiofemoral misalignment and an increase of the medial knee joint loading. Increase of the medial knee joint loading may lead patients into a vicious circle by increasing knee pain, decreasing activities, increasing weight and disease progression. Knee brace is a non-pharmacological treatment recommended for KOA. It aims to reduce misalignment of the limb. However, the main issue is the poor compliance because of lack of effectiveness, more drawbacks than benefits, discomfort, bad fitting, migration of the brace, bulkiness, aesthetic, skin irritation, blisters and too much pressure on the knee. By its freedom in design, 3D printing may resolve most of these complaints.
This study aims to compare clinical and biomechanical effectiveness, comfort and patients complaints of a knee brace made by 3D printing to a conventional knee brace.
The institute for Applied Health Research of Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) will lead the experimental trial. They will recruit men or women (40 to 70 years old) suffering from medial KOA in Glasgow area. Participants will be in study for 10 weeks. During this period, they will wear 2 different knee braces for two weeks each with a 1-week period without knee brace between. Participants will have five visits to GCU: once for leg measurement to make knee braces and four times to fill questionnaires and perform gait analysis. Besides, they will wear activity monitor for 3 non-consecutive weeks.REC name
North East - Tyne & Wear South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/NE/0274
Date of REC Opinion
24 Jan 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion