Knee Bracing for Unicompartmental Osteoarthritis: A Service Evaluation

This service evaluation examined the impact of offloader knee bracing for unicompartmental osteoarthritis (OA) on pain, quality of life (QoL) and activities of daily living (ADL).

The retrospective service evaluation was completed at two NHS community primary care clinics offering offloader knee bracing services. Between 2015 and 2023 patients prescribed offloader knee braces with unicompartmental osteoarthritis were invited to complete a Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) at baseline, one, six and 12 months and at two and three years. KOOS data were analysed to assess the change in ADL, Pain and QoL domains from baseline to one, six and twelve months and up to three years using a paired t-test. Demographic data collected included age, sex, and type of OA.

Two hundred and forty-three patients were issued an offloader knee brace. There were statistically significant differences in pain and ADL for both braces at one and six months (p < 0.05). Participants issued with an ÖSSUR brace demonstrated statistically significant changes in pain and ADL for up to two years (p = 0.0101; p = 0.0153) and QoL up to one year (p = 0.0011). There was no statistically significant difference in either brace at three years. The ÖSSUR brace demonstrated a minimal clinically significant difference at one month for all domains, at one year for pain and ADL and two and three years for pain, ADL and QoL.

Results indicate that offloader knee bracing for unicompartmental knee OA could reduce patients' pain, ADL and QoL in the long term.