Medial knee osteoarthritis (OA) remains a prevalent and debilitating condition, despite conventional physiotherapy interventions aimed at reducing pain and improving function. This study investigates the additional benefits of toe-in gait modification when combined with conventional physiotherapy in individuals with medial knee OA. Rooted in biomechanical theories suggesting that altering gait patterns can reduce medial knee load, this research employs a randomized controlled trial methodology.
Participants are divided into two groups: one receiving conventional physiotherapy alone, and the other receiving a combination of conventional physiotherapy and toe-in gait modification. Outcomes are assessed over a 8-week period, focusing on pain levels and physical function. The significance of this study lies in its potential to enhance current treatment protocols, offering a more effective, non-invasive intervention to alleviate symptoms and improve the quality of life for those suffering from medial knee OA. The findings could inform clinical practices and pave the way for personalized rehabilitation strategies that incorporate gait modifications, ultimately reducing the healthcare burden associated with knee osteoarthritis.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
34
Conventional physiotherapy of medial knee osteoarthritis patients: Isometric exercises, strengthening exercises, stretching exercises and electrotherapy.
A specific alteration in walking pattern where the toes are directed inward during walking. This modification should be clearly defined, including the degree of inward rotation of the foot and how it is taught and monitored in participants. Toe-in gait modification basically includes decrease foot progression angle from baseline through internal foot rotation. Participants are instructed to increase the Toe-in angle of their study limb by 5 degree and walk at least 5-10 minutes (progressed to 15-20 min after 4 week) with this progression angle.
Institute of orthopedic and rehabilitation IOR garden town
Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan
NUMERIC PAIN RATING SCALE (NPRS)
The NPRS is 11-point numeric scale ranges from '0' representing "no pain" to '10' representing "pain as bad as you can imagine
Time frame: 12 Months
WOMAC scale
The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) is widely used in the evaluation Knee Osteoarthritis. It is a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 24 items divided into 3 subscales (Pain, Stiffness, and Physical Function) The scores for each subscale are summed up, with a possible score range of 0-20 for Pain, 0-8 for Stiffness, and 0-68 for Physical Function. Usually a sum of the scores for all three subscales gives a total WOMAC score.
Time frame: 12 Months
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