To evaluate the effectiveness of compartment-specific knee bracing combined with adherence interventions in improving patient-reported outcomes in adults with knee osteoarthritis.
Key Findings:
The bracing group showed a greater improvement in the Knee Osteoarthritis Outcomes Score at 6 months compared to the control group, with an adjusted mean difference of 3.39 points.
Pain reduction was significant, with an adjusted mean difference of 6.13 points on the pain subscale at 6 months.
Improvements were observed at 3 months but diminished by 12 months, with no significant between-group differences.
Interpretation:
Compartment-specific knee bracing, combined with adherence support, can lead to significant short-term improvements in pain and function for patients with knee osteoarthritis, though benefits may wane over time.
Limitations:
Participants and physiotherapists were not blinded to treatment allocation.
Outcome data collection was affected by COVID-19 disruptions.
The intervention group had more physiotherapist contact, which may influence outcomes.
Brace adherence declined over time, and some control participants used braces, potentially affecting results.
Limited diversity in the study population may restrict generalizability.
Conclusion:
While knee bracing shows promise for improving outcomes in knee osteoarthritis, the long-term benefits and adherence challenges warrant further investigation.
Systematic review found robotic-assisted total hip arthroplasty improved implant positioning precision without demonstrating better patient-reported outcomes or lower complication rates than conventional surgery.
Patients with preoperative vitamin D deficiency had higher postoperative pain scores and opioid use after mastectomy, including more than triple the odds of moderate to severe pain within 24 hours of surgery.
