Comparison of the effect of Western-made unloading knee brace with physical therapy in Asian patients with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis-A preliminary report.

PURPOSE: To compare the effect of unloading knee brace with physical therapy (PT) in Asian patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.

METHOD: This is a non-random, two-group comparative study. Patients with medial compartment knee OA (n = 41) were assigned to either the brace group (n = 20) or PT group (n = 21). Patients in the brace group were fitted with an unloading knee brace for three months and the PT group received a 60-min session of physiotherapy over the affected knee, three times a week, for three months. The primary outcome measures were the pain visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Western Ontario McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC); the second outcome measures were the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and patient's satisfaction. The patients were evaluated at baseline, and at one month and three months.

RESULTS

Group comparison showed no significant difference regarding pain VAS, WOMAC, SF-36, and patient's satisfaction, except stiffness in WOMAC (P = .006) and social functioning in SF-36 (P = .007). Time and group interaction revealed significant differences only in general health (P = .007) and mental health (P = .006) of SF-36. Within-group comparison found that pain VAS and WOMAC decreased significantly at one months and three months in both groups.

CONCLUSION

The effect of brace fitting in patients with knee OA was similar to that of physical therapy. A Western-made unloading knee brace is acceptable in some Asian people with knee OA.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02712710.