Offloader knee braces for knee osteoarthritis

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Knee osteoarthritis is a relevant health problem given its high prevalence and associated disability. Within the non-pharmacological management alternatives, the use of offloader knee braces has been proposed, however, there is no consensus in the literature regarding its indication. METHODS We searched in Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews in health, which is maintained by screening multiple information sources, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, among others. We extracted data from the systematic reviews, reanalyzed data of primary studies, conducted a meta-analysis and generated a summary of findings table using the GRADE approach. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS We identified 14 systematic reviews including nine studies overall, all of which were randomized trials. We conclude that the use of offloader knee braces in patients with knee osteoarthritis probably increases physical function through walking distance. However, its use may make little or no difference to physical function measured with the Hospital for Special Surgery Knee score, it may slightly worsen the quality of life and increase adverse events, but the certainty of the evidence is low. In addition, we are uncertain whether the use of offloader knee braces reduces pain as the certainty of the evidence has been assessed as very low.

Combined Rehabilitation Protocol in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee: Comparative Study of Extremely Low-Frequency Magnetic Fields and Soft Elastic Knee Brace Effect

“…To reduce pain, improve physical function, and, possibly, slow disease progression in KOA, the use of knee braces has often been suggested [16]. These are generally the main purposes of knee braces [17], but the optimal choice for an orthosis remains unclear, and long-term implications are lacking.…”